Ashes & Wine
by DeDe324
Summary: "Is there a chance you may change your mind? Or are we ashes and wine?" 8 years ago, Kherington Harris' life was turned upside down by Connor MacManus & his twin brother Murphy. Since they left, she & her best friend have struggled to pick up the pieces. What will she do when they come back? Will she be able to let Connor back into her life or was his leaving too much to forgive?
1. Haunted

******Author's Note: ** And here's the sequel, guys. I know I said I was going to wait til August, but I've been getting impatient. The story is not quite finished, but I promise you, it will be. No slacking here. If you have not read Make This Go On Forever, I recommend that you do, just to see how we got here. Otherwise... enjoy!

******Disclaimer:** I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Haunted is Taylor Swift. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 1 (Haunted):**

"_Stood there and watched you walk away… from everything we had, but I still mean every word I said… to you… he would try to take away my pain… and he just might make me smile, but the whole time I'm wishing he was you… instead…"_

"An' on tha' day, YE WILL REAP ET!"

I woke with a gasp in a cold sweat, bolting to a sitting position, short of breath.

"Kher?"

I wiped my hand over my brow and glanced to my left. My boyfriend Stefano was staring up at me, his brown eyes sleepy. "'nother nightmare?" he asked, pushing himself up on his elbows and letting out a yawn.

I nodded. "Yeah… but, I'm fine, go back to sleep," I urged.

"You sure?" he asked, an eyebrow raised.

I forced a smile and brushed him off. "Seriously, I'm fine. I'm gonna go get some water and then try to go back to sleep myself."

"You wanna talk about it?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Nothing to talk about," I reassured him. "I don't even remember what it was about anymore."

He nodded slowly before lying back down and closing his eyes, hugging the pillow to his head. I managed to pull myself out of bed and grabbed my cell phone off the bedside table. I walked out of the room and pulled the door closed behind me with a gentle click before shuffling out to the kitchen. I pulled myself up on the counter and pressed "6" on my speed dial, lifting the phone to my ear.

"'lo?" a voice clogged with sleep answered after 3 rings.

"I dreamt about it again," I quietly replied as way of greeting, glancing at my closed bedroom door.

"Dammit, Kher, it's..." I heard Ava move on the other end, knowing she was looking at the clock. "It's 3am," she growled. "I have to be at the hospital in two hours."

"I'm sorry, but who else can I talk to about this?" I asked quietly, my hand moving to gently touch my necklace, my fingers absently rubbing over the diamond ring.

She sighed on the other end. "Okay, okay. I'm here. What happened this time?"

I leaned my head against the cupboard behind me, pulling my knees to my chin. "The same. The trial. It's always the trial."

"Maybe you should try talking to someone about this…" she suggested.

I scoffed. "That's what I'm doing. I'm talking to you."

"You know that's not what I mean," she retorted.

I sighed. "You saying I need my head shrunk?"

"We both know you're a little nutty," she teased.

I chuckled. "I guess."

"Seriously, though, Kher. What does Stefano think about all of this?"

"Um..." I stalled.

"You _still_ haven't told him what the nightmares _are_! How can he not know? He sleeps with you and you have these at least 3 times a week!" she hissed in disbelief.

"C'mon, A, what the hell am I supposed to say? 'Oh, Stef, honey, you know those twins that your boss hates that killed his daddy? Well, I was screwing one of them and we would've gotten married if he didn't have to flee the country. Oh and guess what? I dream about him practically every night and I think I'm still in love with him after 8 years!'" I replied sarcastically.

"Well, maybe not in so many words," she retorted. "The cliff's notes version should suffice.

"Oh, fuck you," I muttered grumpily. "How's Aiden?" I asked.

"Oh, no. Do not change the subject right now," she growled. "If you can do that, you can take your ass back to bed and leave me in peace."

"Fine," I whined. "Call me tomorrow?"

"Okay. And we will discuss this at a more civilized hour," she told me haughtily.

I snorted. "Yeah, okay. Sleep well."

"You, too… And Kher?'

"Hmm...?"

"It's been 8 years... you need to let it go," she told me gently.

I sighed, lifting the ring around my neck to look at it. "Have you?" I asked quietly.

She hesitated. "As best I can," she offered. I heard the click as she hung up the phone. I slowly pulled the phone from my ear and set it next to me on the counter, gripping my necklace in my left hand. I sighed and rested my forehead on my knees, my arms wrapped around my calves. Eight years. I couldn't believe that I hadn't heard from him or seen him in so long. I would've thought my memory would have erased pieces of him, but I could still remember everything like it was only yesterday, almost like a curse. I sucked in a shaky breath, remembering our last night together before watching him execute Yakavetta. A tear rolled down my cheek as snapshots rolled through my mind.

"Kherington."

I jumped as the memory was shattered. I lifted my head and saw Stefano standing in the kitchen. "Baby, what are you doing up?" I asked, wiping my eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked, crossing the kitchen to stand in front of me, his hands planted on either side of me on the counter.

I shook my head. "I'm good, just had to talk to Ava for a minute."

He raised an eyebrow. "At 3am?" he asked skeptically.

I shrugged. "Girl talk happens at all hours."

He scoffed. "You said you didn't need to talk."

I gave him another shrug. "I just needed to check in with her, that's all."

He gave me a look but seemed to let it go. "Come back to bed," he commanded, standing up straight and grabbing my wrist.

I sighed and pushed myself off the counter letting him lead me back to the bedroom. "I guess I do need some sleep."

We crawled into bed and Stefano snuggled up to my back and kissing me on the neck, throwing an arm over my waist as I pulled the comforter to my chin. "Get some sleep, okay? I love you."

I attempted to blink back my tears as my throat closed. "Love you too," I replied quietly as tears coursed down my cheeks and Connor's face filled my mind as he did every night.

* * *

_**BDSASD****BDSASD****BDSASD****BDSASD****BDSASD****BDSASD****BDSASD****BDSASD****BDSASD****BDSASD****BDSASD****BDSASD****BDSASD****BDSASD**_

* * *

I stepped out of the shower the next morning and wrapped a towel around me before walking back to my room. Stefano stood at my mirror checking his hair.

"I think you're perfectly tousled, baby," I told him with a smile, pecking him on the cheek before walking to my closet.

"My hair is winning today," he complained, smoothing the unruly piece.

"Trying to impress someone?" I asked, glancing over my shoulder.

"A man always has to look his best," he retorted.

I rolled my eyes and chuckled, grabbing some clothes before walking to my dresser. Stefano's arm snaked out and I let out a yelp as it curled around my waist, pulling me to him. "Stef! I gotta get ready!" I complained.

"I'm just saying good morning," he responded, kissing me briefly.

"Well, good morning. Now, let me go or I'll be late," I told him with a smile and a peck. He smiled and let me go, grabbing his suit jacket from the end of the bed. "Late for what? Aren't you off today?"

"Not the point. Time's a'wastin'," I told him matter-of-factly. "Will I see you tonight?" I asked, rifling through my underwear drawer.

"I don't know," he replied, slipping the jacket over his shoulders and buttoning it. "Boss said we needed to talk."

I cocked my head to the side. "Oh?"

He shrugged and ran a hand through his hair one last time. "I really don't know what it's about. But, I'll call you later, okay?"

I nodded. "Okay, have a good day."

He walked over and kissed me on the top on the head. "You too. Love you."

"Love you too," I replied quickly, turning my focus back to my dresser as he walked out. I sighed as I heard the front door close and slumped against the dresser, rubbing a hand over my face. "Get it together, Kher," I mumbled, slipping my robe over my shoulders and wrapping my towel around my hair. I walked out to the living room and turned on the television. I upped the volume to hear it from my room before going back to get ready. I tossed my robe on the bed and I slipped into my bra and underwear, humming quietly to myself. I stopped as I let out a huge yawn and rubbed my eyes before slipping my robe back over my shoulders, leaving it open. I hadn't really managed to sleep. Connor's face was all I saw every time I closed my eyes, jerking me awake. I shook my head attempting to clear it as I reached for my moisturizer.

"...pennies on the eyes..."

My head automically jerked up towards the living room. That was the calling card of only one… make that two, Boston "murderers". I pulled my robe tight around me and moved to the living room, standing in front of the television. The story of a murdered priest was the top story, shot execution style, two taps to the back of his head, pennies on his eyes.

"...and so, the question on everyone's mind... are they back?"

I snorted and grabbed the remote. "Idiots," I muttered, clicking the television off. "Of course they aren't back," I mumbled, walking back to my room. "And if they were, they wouldn't kill a damn priest." I sighed and pulled the towel from my head, absently rubbing at the half-dried locks as I pondered. I grabbed my hair dryer and moved to turn it on. I suddenly jumped when my cell phone let out its shrill ringtone from its' spot beside my bed. I sighed, setting down the dryer and walked over, picking up the obnoxious piece of plastic. I glanced at the screen and rolled my eyes when I saw it was Ava. I picked it up and held it to my ear.

"It's not them," I greeted, walking back to the dresser, my free hand teasing my hair.

She scoffed. "Do they not teach you how to say 'hello' where you come from?" she asked.

"What's the point when I have caller id?" I retorted, putting the phone on speaker and setting it on the dresser.

"Anyway, what are you talking about?"

"Have you been watching the news?" I asked, smearing moisturizer over my face.

"You mean, the priest?"

"Duh."

"Well, obviously, it's not them," she retorted. "I don't care what a priest did; they wouldn't kill a man of the cloth."

"Pretty much," I replied with a sigh, throwing my hair into a messy bun before reaching for my chapstick. "So, if you didn't call about that, what's up?"

"What are you doing?" she asked. "You're off today, right?"

I tossed my robe on the bed and pulled my shirt over my head. "Yeah, I'm off. I'm getting ready to go run some errands and I have to go grocery shopping later. Why, what's up?"

She sighed. "You wouldn't want to take Aiden with you, would you?"

"He's not at school?" I asked, pulling my jeans over my hips.

"No, they closed for meetings or something."

"You had to bring him to work again?" I asked, checking my appearance in the mirror before slipping into some flats and throwing a purse over my shoulder.

"Fuckin' sitter. She was supposed to pick him up but she cancelled. Dirty whore."

I snickered and grabbed the phone taking it off speaker and lifting it to my ear. "It's fine. I'm good with little man. How long do you need me to keep him?"

"I should be off at 5. I'd probably stop by your apartment around 6:30 to pick him up."

I nodded as I walked out of the room, grabbing my keys from the kitchen counter. "Okay, I'll come pick him up and keep an eye on him."

"You're a lifesaver!"

"Cherry flavored."

"Oh gross."

I snickered. "I'll see you in about 30."


	2. Everybody's Changing

******Author's Note: ** I'm posting this a little quicker than I anticipated (typical...). Thank you for those that took time to review/favorite/alert. Kinda makes a girl feel special. Special thanks to iforgiveyou, Conspicuously Shrouded, "Lucy", Rhanon Brodie, Valerie E Mackin, and Glee-SOA-NCISLA lover. You guys are awesomeeeee. "Lucy", since I can't PM you... so glad you're back and I hope you like this one as much as the first! Hope you enjoy! Onto the chappie...

******Disclaimer:** I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Everybody's Changing is Keane. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 2 (Everybody's Changing):**

"_You're aching, you're breaking and I can see the pain in your eyes… says everybody's changing and I don't know why…"_

"Aunt Kher?"

I glanced down at the little boy as we walked through the grocery store. His big blue eyes looked up at me, his expression pleading. "What's up bud?" I asked, ruffling his dark hair as we made our way down the aisle.

"Did you know my dad?"

I stopped short and looked down at him. "Your dad?"

Aiden nodded. "Yeah… mama won't tell me about him."

"Maybe there's a reason for that," I pointed out, hoping he'd drop the subject.

"Aunt Kher," he whined.

I sighed and crouched down to be eye level with him. "Look, how about you finish helping me shop and then we'll get some ice cream and chat?"

He grinned, his eyes shining and I felt a tug at my heart at the shade of blue staring back at me. "Really Aunt Kher?"

I nodded. "One condition though. You will _not_ tell your mom that I told you _anything_."

He nodded furiously and zipped his lip. "Promise!"

I held out my pinky. "Pinky swear on it."

He linked his tiny pinky with mine. We both kissed our fists and shook. "Okay, now, help me." I stood up and extended the list to him. "You read, I grab, got it?"

Aiden nodded and grabbed the list out of my hand. I smiled at the look of deep concentration over his face as he peered at the paper, reaching over and ruffling his hair before I pushed the cart. "So, what do I need?" I asked, glancing down at him.

Aiden wrinkled his nose. "Tuna fish."

I chuckled. "Why the face?"

"Fish is gross," he told me plainly.

"You like fish sticks, don't you?" I reasoned, grabbing three cans.

"I've never eaten a fish stick!" he exclaimed.

I smirked, knowing that Ava was going to kill me. "You know those things your mom calls chicken fries?"

Aiden nodded. "Yes. They're so good!"

I leaned down to whisper in his ear. "They're actually fish."

His eyes widened. "EWWWWW!"

I threw my head back with a laugh. "So, see? You like fish."

He pouted. "I'm never eating those AGAIN!" he told me, crossing his arms over his chest.

"We shall see," I replied. "What's next?"

"Ummm…" He lifted the list to his face. "Cheese?"

"Does it say what kind?"

"No… it just says Cheese." He lifted the list up and stood on his toes. "See?"

I glanced at the list and pushed his arm down. "Yes, I see." We continued walking through the aisles grabbing different items as he read them off. I reached for a tomato and glanced across the store and froze. Standing beside the salad dressing were two men. Matching stances, hands tucked into the pockets of their peacoats, sunglasses over their eyes, knit caps pulled low on their heads. They were locked in a hushed discussion, but it was clearly urgent. The tomato dropped out of my hand and fell to the floor, but I barely noticed, my focus glued to the two men. "No…" I whispered. One of the men glanced over at me, a lock of light brown hair peeking out from his cap. We stared at each other for what felt like hours. Suddenly I felt a pull on my t-shirt. I shook my head and glanced down, remembering Aiden.

"Aunt Kher, what's wrong?" he asked, his face serious.

I looked up and turned my gaze across the store, but they were gone. Had they even been there? I shook my head to clear it. "Nothing, buddy," I croaked. I cleared my throat. "Let's finish this and get home, okay?" I felt completely off-balanced as we continued our grocery shopping and more than a little distracted. They couldn't be back… could they…?

* * *

"Last one!"

Aiden handed me a box of macaroni and cheese to stuff into the cabinet. "Thanks squirt," I told him absently.

"I hate that name," he pouted, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Sorry, dude," I apologized, closing the cabinet.

"Aunt K, you're acting weird."

I glanced down at him with a raised eyebrow. "I am, am I?"

He nodded.

I shrugged in return. "Weirder than usual?"

"A little."

I chuckled. "If I give you that ice cream, am I still weird?"

Aiden squealed with delight. "No!"

I left out a bark of laughter moving to the freezer. I pulled out the two pints of ice cream I had bought, chocolate peanut butter for Aiden, butter pecan for myself. "Go grab some spoons and we'll go to the living room, okay?" I told Aiden, chuckling when I barely got the sentence out before he ran in front of me, brandishing silverware. We walked out to the living room and sat on the couch, Aiden practically on top of me. "Dude, we have an entire couch."

"But you're comfortable Aunt Kher," he told me, snuggling up to my side like I was a teddy bear.

"I'm gonna remember this when you're older and use it against you," I retorted, making myself comfortable against the arm of the couch.

"What does that mean?" he asked confused.

"You will see, little man," I told him cryptically. I set both pints on the coffee table and pulled the tops off. I held out his ice cream. "Trade me. Pint for a spoon." We made the exchange and leaned against the back of the couch, my feet propped on the coffee table, his on the couch.

"It's cold," he complained.

I rolled my eyes. "It's ice cream."

"Will you get me a bowl? Please?" he asked, his eyes wide.

I scoffed. "You are so lucky you're cute," I replied, setting my pint on the coffee table and grabbing his and the lid, walking to the kitchen. I scooped out some ice cream into a bowl and shoved the rest of his pint in the freezer before walking back to the living room. "Better?" I asked, handing it to him.

He gave me a toothy grin. "Yes."

"What do you say?"

"Thank you."

I nodded. "You're welcome." I leaned forward and picked my pint back up. I spooned out some ice cream and lifted it to my mouth.

"You're supposed to tell me about my daddy," Aiden reminded me.

I froze and slowly turned my gaze to him. "Dammit, you weren't supposed to remember."

He scowled. "That's a nickel in the swear jar," he told me, wagging his finger at me.

I sighed. "Fine." I slipped a bite of ice cream into my mouth. "What do you want to know?"

Aiden grinned happily, licking some ice cream off his spoon. "Everything!"

I rolled my eyes. "Think of a question and I'll tell you."

He went quiet, his expression thoughtful. I took a bite of ice cream while I waited.

"How did mama meet him?" he eventually asked.

I smiled slightly. "Well… you know your mama and I didn't always live in Boston, right?"

He nodded. "You guys came here before I was born."

I nodded. "That's right." I took another bite of ice cream contemplating what to say next. "We ended up going out not too long after we moved here."

"Where did you go?"

"A place called McGinty's."

"And that's where mama met dad?"

I nodded. "I actually met your dad first."

His eyes grew wide. "So you could've been my mom?"

I choked on my ice cream. I swallowed heavily. "Um, that's not really how it works, kiddo."

He looked confused. "Did you not like him?"

I chuckled. "He wasn't so bad."

"Did he love mama?"

I swallowed heavily. The conversation was getting deeper than I intended. "He did. They were happy together."

"Then where did he go?" Aiden asked, twirling his spoon through the melting ice cream.

I cleared my throat and swallowed over the lump that had formed. "He and his brother had to leave… on business."

"Where'd they go?"

I shrugged and set my treat back on the coffee table. "Not sure little man. Wish I knew."

"I have an uncle too?"

I nodded slowly. "You do."

"Did you know him?"

"I did."

"How?"

I gave him a look. "What do you mean how?"

"Were you friends?"

"Um… well, you could say that," I replied, fidgeting. I was starting to understand why Ava didn't want to talk about this with him.

"You're getting weird again, Aunt Kher," he told me, his brow furrowed. I felt my breath catch in my throat. His expression was identical to one that Connor and Murphy would get. "Aunt Kher?"

I shook my head to clear it. "Finish your ice cream. It's melting."

He took another bite. "Was mama with my dad long?"

"About a year," I replied absently, grabbing the top of the ice cream and setting it back on the coffee table.

"Is he ever coming back?" he asked.

I bit my lower lip and grabbed my pint to put back in the freezer. "I really don't know, Aiden," I replied, grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator before walking back to the couch. I leaned against the arm of the couch, resting against it.

"Oof!" I grunted as Aiden crawled on top of me. "Dude, you're getting too big for this."

He burrowed his head under my chin. "Am not."

I rolled my eyes and adjusted to make sure we were both comfortable. "Whatever."

"Tell me more about my dad?" he asked.

I sighed and wrapped my arm around his torso, throwing my right arm over my eyes. "Well... he looks a lot like you, actually."

"Really?" Aiden asked excitedly.

"Yup. You have his hair and his eye color... and you know that mole above your lip that you hate? He has that too."

"So, I look like my dad?" Aiden asked, his voice becoming drowsy.

"You do." I glanced down and kissed him on the top of the head. "Take a nap, little man. We'll talk more later."

"Promise?" he muttered.

"Pinky promise," I replied before we both drifted to sleep.

* * *

"Seriously, Kher!"

I jerked awake at the sound of Ava's voice. "Wha-?"

Aiden slowly woke up. "Mama?" he muttered groggily.

Ava grabbed the bowl off the table and thrust it in my face. "What is this?" she asked, a deep scowl over her face.

"A bowl?" I replied, rubbing my face as Aiden crawled off of me.

"How many times have I told you not to give him ice cream unless you feed him real food first?" she asked.

"Ummm... depends how many times I've done it," I replied. "It's probably about even."

She glared at me before turning to Aiden. "You know better," she reprimanded, looking at his face. "Ugh, there is chocolate all over you!" she exclaimed, licking her thumb before trying to wipe it off.

"Mommmmm," he whined trying to bat her away.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, go to the bathroom and wash up. Now."

Aiden pouted but walked to the bathroom shutting the door.

Ava turned to me and sat on the couch. "What the fuck, K?"

I scowled at her. "It's just ice cream. Not crack."

She gave me a glare. "We go through this every single time. It spoils his dinner."

I rolled my eyes and sunk into the couch. "It was two scoops. Sue me."

"I'll look into it." She regarded me for a moment. "What's wrong?"

"You're about to ground me, that's what's wrong."

She shook her head. "Seriously. Something's up."

I sighed and leaned forward, my elbows on my knees. "I don't know..."

"C'mon Kher, talk to me," she urged.

I took a deep breath before puffing out my cheeks and exhaling. "Fine... when I was at the grocery store... I saw something..."

Ava waited for me to continue. "Are you going to give me specifics or do I have to guess?" she asked when I stayed quiet.

"I swear I saw Conn and Murph," I replied, glancing at her.

She gave a look of surprise. "What?"

I rubbed my hands over my face. "I don't know. Aiden and I were in the produce section and they were just... there... and then they were gone."

She looked at me skeptically. "Are you sure you weren't seeing things?"

I sighed. "I hope not... otherwise I'm even crazier than I thought."


	3. Notion

******Author's Note: **This is kind of a filler chapter, I guess. And I know people are gonna be annoyed, haha. Let me know if it works or not. As always, thank you to those that reviewed/alerted/favorited. Special thanks to **iforgiveyou**, **Valerie E Mackin**, **"Lucy"**, **Conspicuously Shrouded**, **BlueMoonSaint**, **"Alessandra" **and annonie... you guys are awesome! Hope you enjoy!**  
**

******Disclaimer:** I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Notion is Kings of Leon. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 3 (Notion):**

"_I gotta notion to say what doesn't feel right, got an answer in your story today… it gave me a sign that didn't feel right…"_

A few days later, I sat in my office, tapping my pen against the desk, my chin cradled in my right hand, my reading glasses on the edge of my nose. I sighed and looked over the pages of words in front of me, trying to make them not blur into a giant smudge. I let out a groan of frustration and tossed my pen over the desk and took off my glasses, setting them to the side. I rubbed my hands over my face before lying my head face down on the desk.

"Wake up!"

I jerked out of my stupor, papers flying into the air as Detective Greenly yelled in my ear. "What the fuck, David?" I asked, punching him lightly in the arm. "What are you doing here?" I shot him a glare as I moved to straighten my piles of paper.

"Checkin' up on ya," he drawled, giving me a slow smile as he moved to the other side of the desk.

I rolled my eyes and set the neat pile of papers to the side, folding my arms in front of me. "Don't you have, I dunno, a job?"

He nodded. "I do."

"So why are you disrupting mine?"

He snorted. "You read a lot. Ain't like you're saving the world."

"I'm an editor, you idiot," I snapped at him. "And I make my own hours. Which from what I understand, makes me so much more helpful to _your_ job."

"Whatever, you call it editing, I call it reading," he retorted smoothly, sitting on the edge of my desk. "Still not a big deal to stop you at work."

I smirked despite myself. "Such an asshole." I moved the articles to the appropriate trays before resting my elbows on my desk and cradling my chin. "So, seriously, I know this isn't a social call."

Greenly glanced around before standing up and walking to the door of my office, shutting and locking it. I raised an eyebrow. "That serious?"

"Need to know what you know," he told me, sitting in the chair across from my desk, leaning his elbows on his knees, clasping his hands in front of him.

"And they sent you? I usually get Duff," I remarked.

He scowled. "What, not good enough for you? I know you have a fuckin' crush on him or whatever."

I rolled my eyes. "Jealous."

"I ain't fuckin' jealous!"

"Thou doth protesth too much," I teased with a chuckle.

He glowered at me. "Duffy had a case he had to review. Now, will you just tell me what you fuckin' know?"

"I know a lot of things. I'm gonna need you to be a little more specific for me."

He shot me a withering look. "Your boys, Kherington."

"You mean Stefano?" I asked.

"C'mon, Kher, the Saints," he told me, impatience coloring his tone.

I looked at him confused. "What the hell would I know about Connor and Murphy? They don't talk to me. Haven't in years."

He scoffed. "You mean to tell me, they're back in town and they haven't reached out to you and Ava?"

I pursed my lips and narrowed my eyes. "They _are_ back?"

He shot me a look of exasperation. "Seriously?"

I raised my hands, palms out. "Seriously, David, I don't know anything. You know I would tell you if I did. I haven't heard a word." Silently, I chose not to mention the possible sighting from earlier in the week.

Greenly stared at me for several beats. "You really don't, do you?"

I shrugged and sat back in my desk chair, crossing my legs. "That's what I said."

"I thought you and Connor were all in love and shit," he said, waving his hands in the air.

I felt a small jolt of pain to my heart but swallowed it down. "Guess not. How do you know they're back?"

"You heard about the fuckin' Chinese, didn't ya?"

"Food?" I asked, steepling my fingers under my chin

He rolled his eyes. "Why do you always gotta be such a fuckin' smartass about everything?"

I smirked. "Awe, Greenly, you always say such sweet things to me."

"Why did I have to fuckin' talk to you today?" he grumbled.

"Because deep down you love me?" I offered.

"I fuckin' tolerate you," he told me gruffly.

I laughed. "Awe, Dave."

"Anyway, the Chinese. You hear?"

"No, I haven't," I replied, shaking my head.

"How the fuck have you not heard about this? I thought you knew about current events and shit?"

"Well, I haven't. So, stop stalling and just tell me."

"Bunch of them were killed. Pennies. Lead guy double tap," he explained, tapping the back of his head. He reached over and grabbed a mint from the tin on the corner of my desk and tossed it into his mouth.

I bit my lower lip. "You mean the ones with the H, I assume?"

He nodded. "That'd be them."

"Well," I said, crossing my arms over my chest and leaning back in my chair. "They were Yakavetta's big moneymaker. If the boys were gonna go after someone, it would be them. Or they'd at least make the list."

He nodded. "That's what we figured. Which is why, the boys are back."

I sighed and shrugged. "Well, I don't know. If I hear anything I'll call."

He nodded and stood. "Alright then. This was a big waste of my fuckin' time."

I rolled my eyes. "And you wonder why I like Duffy better than you."

"No I don't. You wanna fuck Duffy. Ain't hard to figure out."

I shrugged. "I mean, I wouldn't say no. Doubt his wife would appreciate it though."

He scoffed. "Whatever. We'll be in touch."

I nodded. "I have no doubt," I replied as he walked out the door with a wave over his shoulder. I sighed and rubbed my hands over my face before picking up the phone and dialing Ava's cell.

"Hello?" she answered after two rings, her voice tired.

"You alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, just a busy day, can't talk long, what's up?" she asked.

"Anyone talk to you?" I asked.

"No, why?" she asked confused.

"Greenly just left," I told her, cradling the phone against my shoulder.

"Greenly? Why?"

"He was asking me about the boys. Says they're back," I replied.

"Oh?" she responded.

I sighed. "You really can't talk, can you?"

She groaned. "No, can I call you or stop by after I'm off work and I pick up Aiden? We can talk then?"

"Yeah, sure, I'm leaving here in an hour. You need me to pick him up or anything?" I asked.

"Nah, I mean, the sitter actually came through, picked him up from school."

"What time should I expect you?" I asked her as I glanced over another article.

"8ish?"

"Sounds good. Need dinner or anything?"

"I'll bring something with me. Stefano gonna be there?"

"Doubt it. He's working a lot."

She snorted. "Doing what? Shooting people?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'll see you later, A."

"Bye."

* * *

I walked in my apartment door as my cell phone went off. I went through my purse and grabbed the phone, glancing at the ID before lifting it to my ear. "Hey, baby, what's up?" I asked, pulling my keys out of the lock before shutting the door tightly and sliding the deadbolt in place

"Just checking in. You good?" Stefano asked. I could hear the murmur of Italian accents in the background.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just got home. Should I expect you tonight?" I tossed my purse on the couch and walked towards my bedroom, pulling my shirt over my head, tossing it in the hamper.

"No, I'm gonna be staying at the Pru. Some... issues came up."

I rolled my eyes. "Baby, you tell me everything. Don't start keeping secrets now."

"No one knows about that," he muttered into the phone.

"Oh, other ears?" I asked, hitting speaker and setting the phone on the dresser so I could unzip my pencil skirt.

"Mmhmm."

I lifted my leg, pulling the skirt off my ankle. "Well, I hope I see you soon. Call me later?"

"Will do. Love you."

"Ditto," I said, hanging up the phone. I sighed and finished undressing before grabbing my towel and walking to the bathroom. I took a quick shower and stepped out, throwing my hair into the towel and padded back to the bedroom to grab my robe before fixing some dinner. I flicked on the light and let out a scream.

**AN2****:** Since I can't PM to these 3...

Anonnie: Just trying to keep you in suspense! ;-) I'll update pseudo regularly, but I'm still working, so I don't wanna rush. And I didn't intend to post for a bit but I find that it gives a push when I hear back from you guys, so thank YOU! And thank you for the compliments! I'm so thrilled you're sticking with me and still enjoying the journey!

Lucy: Yeah, I definitely wanted a kid to happen, but it just didn't feel right having it be ConKher's. At least not yet. ;-) Awe, thank you so much! Yeah, I found that it was just impossible to go the movie route. It just didn't work putting the girls into that. So... liberties! I did seem to keep the general storyline and some of the "big moments". But overall, there will be surprises. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Your reviews always make me smile. You're so sweet!

Alessandra: Yay! You're back! I was hoping you would be! I put a few more twists if you will in this one than the first. I hope it all works since it's not just a "love story" if you will... or at least I tried to make it a little more than that. I'm so glad you enjoy it so far and you're sticking with me! And I love you! :) :) :)


	4. Heart's a Mess

******Author's Note:** Longest chapter yet! I felt like Chapter 3 wasn't necessarily my best, so I got impatient and decided to make it up to you with this! :) Again, thank you to those that reviewed/faved/alerted. Special thanks to... **Valerie E Mackin**, **Conspicuously Shrouded**, **iforgiveyou**, **"Beth"**, and **"Lucy****"**. I love you guys for reviewing so much. :) Enjoyyyy!

******Disclaimer:** I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Heart's a Mess is Gotye. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 4 (Heart's a Mess) **

"_Your heart's a mess... you won't admit to it... it makes no sense... but I'm desperate to connect... and you, you can't live like this..." _

"What the fuck!" I shrieked, grabbing my robe and throwing it on, tying it roughly.

"Ye always wal' 'roun' naked like tha'?" Connor asked from his perch on the edge of my bed. "An' ye don' nee' ta cover up. Nothin' I 'aven' see' befer," he told me with a leer.

"How the hell did you get in here?" I asked, my hand to my chest, trying to slow my rapid heartbeat.

"Fire 'scape," he replied easily, nodding his head towards my window.

"You've never heard of a door?" I asked incredulously.

He shrugged. "Didn' tink ye woul' le' me en."

As the adrenaline slowly dissipated, I realized that Connor was actually here, in front of me. It wasn't a dream. I swallowed heavily.

"Ye loo' goo', Kherin'to'," he told me gently.

"You look... different," I told him honestly.

He frowned. "Doesn' soun' like a complimen'."

I shook my head. "Sorry." He looked older. Harder. Tired. More rugged. But it suited him. He was still easily the best looking man I had ever seen.

"Though' ye migh' be a wee bi' 'appier ta see me," he admitted. I gave him a look but didn't reply. "Ye gon' jus' stan' dere?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Probably," I replied, my hands gripping the dresser behind me.

He stood and slowly approached me, taking his time. I felt my nails dig into the soft wood of the dresser as he moved closer with each step. He finally stopped only inches away from me. I felt my breath hitch in my throat and I internally cursed that he still had an effect on me after so long. "How'd you find me?" I asked quietly.

He shrugged, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his familiar peacoat. "Wasn' 'ard," he replied.

I raised an eyebrow, my eyes meeting his. "Oh? If it wasn't so hard, why is this the first time I'm seeing you?"

He sighed. "We goin' ta do dis already?"

"Do what?"

"Argue. I kno' et's bee' 'while."

I snorted. "Awhile? It's been years, Connor, _years _and you're just gonna tell me it's been 'awhile'."

He rubbed his hands over his face. "Ca' we no' do dis? Please?"

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. Fine. We don't have to do 'this'. You can leave."

He frowned. "Kher, 'mon."

I scowled and moved to walk away, but his arms moved to rest on either side of me on the dresser blocking me in. "Connor, move," I told him, pressing my back against the dresser as he crowded me.

He shook his head. "No." I glared up at him. "I'm serious. _Move." _

"No."

I moved my hands to his chest to shove him back. His hands grabbed my wrists, holding them in place. My breath hitched in my throat as I met his gaze, his eyes bluer than I remembered. "Connor, no. I'm with someone now."

He scoffed. "Tha' wop. Aye, I've see' 'im. Wha' th' fuck, Kher?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Don't call him that. Don't call _me _that."

"Wha'? A wop? Dat's wha' 'e es. Wha' are ye doin', fuckin' one o' Yakavetta's puppets?" he asked, a hint of anger seeping into his tone.

"So you _have _been spying on me?" I asked, glaring up at him.

"Wha' does tha' mea'?" he replied.

"That _was _you and Murphy at the grocery store, wasn't it?"

He sighed. "Ye weren' 'posed ta see us. Dat wasn' planned, alrigh'?"

"Whatever, Connor," I spat with a glare.

"I wa' jus' makin' sure ye were alrigh'. Dat so wron' o' me?"

"Then pick up the damn phone. Don't stalk me," I growled at him.

He scowled. "Sto' 'voidin' me question. Why ye wit' someone like dat?"

"You jealous?" I snarled.

He tugged my wrists, pulling my body flush against his. "O' course I 'm. Bu' o' all th' men ye coul' 'ave, ye pick someone like tha'?" His face came closer to mine, his breath ghosting over me and I forced myself not to react as his scent washed over me. "Dey murdered Roc. Didya ferget tha'?"

"Of course I didn't forget that," I snapped. "That was what broke us."

He narrowed his eyes. "Don' blame Rocco dyin' fer tha'."

"Connor, let me go," I told him forcefully.

He regarded me for a moment before dropping my wrists and taking a step back. "Why ye wit' 'im, Kher?" he asked.

I shook my head. "We're not going to have this conversation. You lost that privilege."

"Maybe 'm worried 'bout ye," he countered.

I snorted and turned my back on him to look through my drawers. "Connor MacManus is suddenly worried about me? How nice."

I felt his gaze burning into my back but forced myself to keep my head down and not meet his eyes in the mirror. My hand grabbed a shirt.

"Why are ye bein' like dis?" Connor asked softly.

I tightened my grip on the shirt and spun on my heel. "Connor, _you _left _me. _Not only that you left me on my _birthday _without a word. Sure, I saw you again for _one _night, but then you left me again for close to a decade. Of course that was _after _I watched you and your brother become two of the most wanted men in the _country. _So, _Connor, _what do you expect me to be _like!" _I threw the shirt at him forcefully.

He caught it easily. "Kher, cal' dow'."

"Fuck. You. And stop calling me that." I stomped past him to my closet, ripping the towel off of my head and tossing it on the bed.

"Yer actin' like a chil'," he returned, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the bed frame. I ignored him and blindly sifted through my closet. I stiffened as I felt him move behind me, his hands gently resting on my hips. "Kher..." he breathed into my ear, his lips brushing against my neck.

I swallowed and shut my eyes, feeling tears springing to my eyes. "Connor, please," I begged, my voice low.

His hands slowly moved to my waist, his touch practically burning through the thin satin of my robe. "Please wha'?"

"I'm not going to do this again," I whispered, slowly opening my eyes and staring into the closet.

We stood there in the doorway of my closet, Connor's arms around my waist, my hands gripping the clothes in front of me. I felt his breath on the back of my neck, his forehead resting against the back of my head. "Et killed me ta leave ye, ye know... 'specially seein' ye en th' crow' like ye were," he told me quietly. "Murph 'ad ta practically throw me enta th' car."

"Then why did you?" I asked, staring ahead, seeing nothing, tears dropping to the floor.

"Couldn' stay 'ere. No' aft' th' Yakavetta ting," he murmured into my hair, the halfway dried tendrils tickling my skin. "'ad ta kee' ye safe..."

"What's going on here?"

Connor stepped away from me quickly and I glanced to the doorway of my room to see Ava standing there, her hands on Aiden's shoulders in front of her. "'ey, Ava. Lon' time," Connor said with a lopsided grin.

Ava's mouth dropped open. "Connor? Omigod, what the hell are you doing here?" She moved forward and hugged him quickly before separating and punching him hard in the shoulder.

"Ow, tha' kin' o' 'urt," Connor said, rubbing his shoulder. "Wha' wa' tha' fer?"

Ava rolled her eyes. "I think you can figure it out." She glanced over at me. "You alright, Kher?" she asked.

I forced a smile. "Fine." I glanced down at Aiden, an actual smile coming to my face. "There's my dude." I squatted to my knees and he ran over to me and gave me a hug. I laughed. "What's up little man? How was school?"

"It was awesome! At recess, we played Transformers!" he told me excitedly, jumping in my arms.

"Oh?" I asked. "I always liked Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles myself."

"That's because you're old," he replied matter-of-factly.

I scrunched up my face at him. "Now that's not nice."

He gave me a giggle and stepped back. I kissed his forehead before standing up and glancing over at Connor who was watching the exchange, a curious expression over his face. Ava glanced at Connor and back at me and shrugged. I sighed. "Aiden, this is Connor," I told the little boy, pushing him forward. "Connor, Aiden."

Connor cleared his throat before looking down at the little boy. His jaw went slack when he noticed the big blue eyes staring up at him. Aiden waved shyly. Connor squatted slowly to Aiden's level. "'ello, Aiden."

Aiden wrinkled his nose. "You talk funny."

Ava and I snorted, but didn't say anything.

"Dat's 'cause, 'm Irish, lad," Connor replied, looking up at me quickly.

Ava moved to stand beside me.

"Are you my daddy?" Aiden asked, standing in front of Connor.

Connor choked. "Wha'?" He looked up at me, his eyes wide.

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. "Connor, he's clearly Ava's son, not mine. You can get that look off your face."

Aiden smiled shyly at him. "Well, are you?"

"Uh, no. 'fraid no'," Connor replied.

Ava snickered. "Aiden, come here, please." Aiden shrugged and walked over to his mother.

Connor pulled himself to his feet, wiping his hands on his jeans. "So, ye 'ave a lad den, Ava? 'ope yer tas' es bett' den Kher's 'ere," he joked.

I rolled my eyes. "My taste _is _questionable," I retorted, leaning against the dresser. "I mean, I did date _you, _didn't I?"

Ava bit back a snort of laughter and covered her mouth. Connor narrowed his eyes at me. "No' dat was uncalled fer," he muttered.

"So are your digs at my current boyfriend," I spat.

"Jus' callin' et like I see et," he replied.

"Should Aiden and I go? Give you two some time alone?" Ava asked, gesturing between us.

"Yes," Connor replied. "No," I snapped at the same time.

Ava lifted her hands in mock surrender. "Just thought I'd ask. And no, I'm not with anyone Conn, what makes you ask?"

"Dis little lad, dat's wha'," he replied, gesturing at Aiden.

"I've never met my dad," Aiden told him quietly.

Ava tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and gave Connor a smile as he regarded the boy carefully. "Es dat righ'?" he asked softly before looking up at Ava. "'ave I den?"

I rolled my eyes. "Connor, leave her alone. You don't have any right to come in here attacking Ava with pointless questions that have _nothing _to do with you."

"My, my Kher, aren't we confrontational today," Ava pointed out.

I shrugged and pursed my lips. "What can I say? Connor has always seemed to bring out the worst in me."

"No', no', Kher, we all know dat esn' true," he interjected.

I curled my lip at him in a silent snarl, but didn't respond.

"Anyway... where's that worthless brother of yours?" Ava asked, dropping her hand on Aiden's shoulder. "Can't imagine you came here alone."

"Ava, ye shouldn' say such nice tings when 'm no' 'round."

Ava, Connor, Aiden and I all looked towards the window where Murphy was ducking inside, a Hispanic man on his heels.

"Seriously!" I exclaimed. "You people can't use doors!"

Murphy grinned. "'iya, Kher, lon' time."

I rolled my eyes and glanced over at Ava. His appearance didn't seem to affect her, but I did notice her fingers dig slightly into Aiden's shoulders. "Hi, Murphy," I replied.

"Alright, Murphy told me he'd tell me what the hell-"

"Swear jar!" Aiden cried, interrupting the Hispanic man.

He looked at Aiden shocked. "Holy sh-"

"Watch your mouth, there's a child present," Ava snapped at him with a glare.

He looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry, habit."

I sighed. "Look, as much fun as this reunion is, can you all get out so I can put clothes on?" I tightened my robe around me in discomfort.

"Even me, Aunt Kher?" Aiden asked looking up at me wide eyed.

I chuckled and ruffled his hair. "I don't wanna ruin women for you, buddy," I told him.

He looked up at me confused. "What does that mean?" He turned to Ava. "What does she mean, mama?"

Ava glared at me. "I hate you."

I grinned. "No you don't." I looked around the room. "Now, please, all of you. Out. Living room. Shoo." I waved my hands towards the door.

"Goo' ta know ye 'aven' changed," Murphy told me, kissing me on the temple as he passed. He walked out, followed by the Hispanic. Ava gave me one last look before guiding Aiden out of the room.

I glanced over and noticed that Connor wasn't moving, his hands shoved in his pockets. "That included you, y'know," I told him snidely.

"Nee' ta as' ye sometin'," he muttered, his hands shoved in his coat pockets.

I let out a deep sigh and turned to him, crossing my arms over my chest. "What?"

"Aiden..."

I raised an eyebrow. "That's not a question."

"Ye swear 'e's Ava's?" he asked quietly.

I gaped at him. "I'm _sorry_?"

He cleared his throat. "Et's jus'..." He rubbed his hand over his face, seeming to measure his words. "Murph an' me... we saw ye wit' 'im th' oth' day..."

I clenched my teeth. "Ava had to work. I tend to watch him. What are you trying to say, Connor?"

He furrowed his brow. "Loo'... 'e's wha'? 8?"

"And?"

He sighed. "Kher... ye an' me... tha' las' nigh'..."

I shook my head. "Connor, he's not mine. And he's definitely not yours. I might be pissed at you, but I'm not a liar. Now please, get out." I pointed at the door.

He nodded. "Alrigh'. Bu' we 'ave a lo' mo' ta tal' 'bout, I promise ye tha'." He walked out of the room shutting the door behind him.

I sighed and laid my hands on the dresser before looking at myself in the mirror. "What the hell have you gotten yourself into?" I muttered at my reflection.

* * *

"What are you guys even doing here?" I heard Ava ask as I walked into the living room, throwing my hair into a ponytail.

"That's what I'd like to know," I commented, sitting on the floor. I ignored Connor's heated glance as his eyes raked over me.

Connor, Murphy and their friend were sitting on my couch. Ava sat in my recliner, Aiden on her lap. The brothers exchanged a look.

"I'll assume that means business," I said, shaking my head.

"These broads know who you two are?" the Hispanic asked with a look of disbelief. "What you _do?" _

"Ye were smar' enou' ta figure et ou'," Murphy pointed out as Connor gave him a look.

"What brought you back?" Ava asked.

Connor glanced between Ava and I and cleared his throat. "Don' tink tha's really 'portan', do ye?"

I scowled. "You break into my home, you give answers," I told him.

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Es tha' righ'?"

I rolled my eyes and leaned back on my hands. "You can either share or you can leave. Your choice."

Murphy sighed. "Migh' as well tell 'em Connor."

Connor looked at his twin in disbelief. "Wha'? No!"

Murphy shook his head. "Ye lasses go' any ideas?"

"Assuming it has to do with that priest somehow," Ava replied, tightening her arms around Aiden.

Murphy nodded. "Aye." Connor sat beside him, a look of discomfort settling over his features.

"They calling you out?" I asked quietly.

Connor's eyes darted over to me. "Dey meanin' who?"

"Whoever you think it is," I replied with a shrug.

"We don' kno' ye'," Murphy cut in. "Bu' aye, we tink we're bein' called."

"And who are you?" Ava asked, nodding her head at the Hispanic. "What do you have to do with this?"

"Dis es our Mexican," Murphy replied.

"'e foun' us o' our way ov'," Connor continued.

"Does your 'Mexican' have a name?" I asked, cocking my head to the side.

"I'm Romeo," he replied with a wave. "And who are you?" he asked, gesturing to myself and Ava.

"Well, I'm Kherington," I replied.

"What kinda name is Kherington?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes. "At least my name doesn't make me sound like a stripper," I retorted.

He laughed. "I kinda like you."

I shrugged. "It's a gift."

He looked over at Ava and Aiden. "And you two are?"

"I'm Ava. And this," she said, glancing down at her son with a warm smile. "Is my son, Aiden."

Aiden waved. "Hi."

I grinned. "Such a charmer."

"And you all know each other, how?" Romeo asked, pointing around the room.

"Yes, how do we know each other, boys?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at Connor.

He scowled at me. "Et's goin' ta be like tha' den?"

Romeo glanced between Connor and I before turning to Murphy. "Is there tension in here or is it just me?"

"Ain' jus' ye, me frien'," Murphy replied.

"Go fuck yerself, Murph," Connor growled at his brother, his gaze still on me.

"Mama, Connor needs to put money in the swear jar," Aiden whispered to Ava.

"I know, baby, and that's the big money word," she replied.

Romeo looked around. "Anyone gonna answer my question or should I just guess?"

"Is it that hard to figure out?" Ava asked honestly.

"Lookit," Murphy finally said. "Conn an' Kher were engaged."

I snorted. "We were not. To be engaged, you need to be asked. Which _he _never did."

"Gave ye a rin' didn' I?" Connor snapped, gesturing at my neck.

I rolled my eyes, tucking my necklace into my shirt. "If giving me a ring means we're engaged, then I'm technically with Detective Duffy," I told him. "Guess I should call, give him the big news. Do you think he'd like a winter wedding?"

"Will ye sto' actin' like dis? Jesus fu-"

"Aiden, how about you go watch tv in Aunt Kherington's room?" Ava interjected, shooting Connor a glare.

"Do I havta?" Aiden whined.

I glanced over at Aiden. "Go on, buddy. If you do, I have a present for you later."

"What is it?" Aiden asked excitedly, sliding off Ava's lap.

"A surprise," I replied. "Now, go on," I told him, nodding my head towards my room. He sighed and walked to my room, shutting the door behind him.

"What is this 'surprise'?" Ava asked with air quotes, her eyes narrowed at me.

I shrugged. "I dunno, but it worked didn't it?"

"Please run your 'surprise' by me first, thanks."

"What's wrong with my surprises?"

She gave me a look. "The last time you gave him a stuffed animal that represented chlamydia!"

The three men burst out laughing. I shrugged. "First off, it looked like a stuffed sun. Second, it was actually herpes. And thirdly, I'm preparing him for life."

"Kherington! I had to tell my seven year old about STD's!" she exclaimed.

"See? Preparation."

She glared at me.

"Anyway," Romeo interjected. Ava and I looked back at the couch. "So, you were Connor's fiancee?" Romeo asked, looking at me.

"We dated, yes," I replied.

"Jesus fuckin' Christ, Kherington!" Connor exploded.

"Lord's fuckin' name," Ava muttered from the recliner with a giggle.

"What Connor?" I asked, a touch of impatience in my tone.

He glared at me, his face a deep shade of red. "Sto' actin' like dis," he commanded.

I rolled my eyes and looked back at Romeo. "Go on," I urged him.

"Okay..." Romeo turned to Ava. "And what's your story?"

"Ava an' me dated as well," Murphy told him.

"And where does Aiden fit in?" Romeo asked.

Ava and I exchanged a look. "He's my son," Ava said.

"He looks like a tiny Murphy with a tan," Romeo replied.

Ava coughed as Murphy's eyes grew wide. I jumped to my feet. "Does anyone need a drink?" I looked around the room. "Anyone? Hmm? No? I do!" I hurried into the kitchen. I grabbed a bottle of water and slowly walked back out to the living room as Ava and Murphy disappeared into my room, Aiden standing at the door as it was closed. "Dammit," I muttered.

Aiden turned around and looked at me, his eyes wide. "Aunt Kher? What happened?"

I walked over and squatted to his level, running a hand through his hair. "Nothing, your mom just needs to talk to her friend," I told him.

"Aunt Kher?"

"What's up, bubba?" I asked, cocking my head to the side.

"Do you remember the story you told me about my dad?" he asked.

I swallowed and nodded carefully. "I do..."

He stepped forward, cupping his mouth to my ear. "Is that him?"

I bit my lower lip. "You're gonna have to talk to your mom when she's done, okay?"

He furrowed his brow and his mouth turned down in a frown. "I have to go to the bathroom," he told me quietly.

I nodded. "You know where it is, little man. I'll be in the living room."

He nodded solemnly before padding to the bathroom. I sighed and walked back to the living room where Connor and Romeo were still on the couch.

"So, dat's me nephew?" Connor asked as I sat on the recliner.

"Surprise," I told him, crossing my legs and waving my hands in the air. "Told you he wasn't yours."

Romeo looked at me apologetically. "Didn't mean to start somethin'," he told me.

I shrugged. "I'm not the one that you need to apologize to. And he was going to figure it out eventually... you just... sped up the process."

"She ne'er tol' 'im," Connor commented, shaking his head.

"When would she have told him?" I asked, glancing down at my nails.

Connor gave me a look. "Murph an' Ava 'ave been talkin' on an' off fer 'while, ye know dat," he told me.

I slowly looked up at him. "I'm sorry?" I asked.

Connor suddenly looked unsure. "Murph woul' call e'ery couple months. 'e didn' tink I knew, bu' I di'."

Romeo looked between Connor and I and suddenly stood up. "I'm going to go... um... shave... I'll see you later. Nice meeting you." He quickly exited the apartment, leaving the two of us alone in silence.

Connor cleared his throat. "So... ye didn' know den..."

I slowly stood up and walked to my bedroom door, pounding on it. Ava pulled it open, tears rolling down her face. "What?" she asked.

I glanced past her at Murphy who was pacing my bedroom floor, running his hands through his hair. I looked back at Ava. "We need to talk. _NOW," _I hissed.

"Kherington, I don't know if you noticed but it's _really_ not a good time," she told me.

I narrowed my eyes. "As you can see I don't _really_ care."

Ava looked taken aback. "What is wrong with you?"

"You've been talking to Murphy for _years _and you never _told _me?" I asked her, my voice frighteningly calm, but cold.

Ava's eyes widened and Murphy stopped pacing, looking towards the door. "H-how do you know about that?" she asked.

My jaw tightened. "So it's true?"

"Kherington, I was going to tell you..."

"Oh really? When? I mean, it's not like it's been going for eight years or anything," I retorted each word dripping with sarcasm.

"So ye 'ave jus' bee' keepin' secrets fro' e'eryone, es tha' et?" Murphy asked, crossing his arms over his chest, his shoulders tense.

"Oi! Come off et, Murph," Connor said from behind me. "Ye ne'er tol' me 'bout th' calls either."

Murphy glanced at his brother. "Ye knew 'bout et?"

"Ain't shtupid," Connor replied.

I shook my head and stepped away from the door. "I can't deal with this," I muttered. I pushed past Connor towards my front door.

"Kher! Where are you going?" Ava called after me.

"Out!" I snapped before walking out the door, slamming it shut behind me.

* * *

**AN2: **Beth-Awe, I'm sorry! That was kind of a brutal cliffy too! But I'm so glad you came along for the ride! I'm thrilled you loved the prequel so much! It is pretty much my baby and I'm so excited it got as much recognition as it did! But I'm so, so flattered that you loved it so much and enough to stick around for the sequel! I hope this chapter gave back a hair or two! But really, thank you, thank you, thank you for the love! :) :) :)

Lucy-Haha, who knows? There would be twin genes present! Thank you, I'm glad you liked chapter 3. I'm kinda eh about it, but I feel like it does give a little story set up. It will be explained how and why Kher is with a mob guy, no worries. Might take a bit though. And wouldn't we all like a naked Connor (or Murphy!) waiting after a shower...? Mmmmm... ;-) Thanks for the review, as always! You always make me smile when I get the notification that you reviewed!


	5. Unspoken

******Author's Note:** Next update! Continuing drama! As always, I want to thank everyone who has reviewed/faved/alerted. Special thanks to: **Conspicuously Shrouded**, **iforgiveyou**, **"Anonnie"**, **Rhanon Brodie**, **Valerie E.** **Mackin**,** BlueMoonSaint**, **"Lucy"**, and **"Alessandra"**. You guys just make my heart sing with your reviews.

******Disclaimer:** I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Unspoken is Hurts. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 5 (Unspoken):**

"_So won't you save this conversation... and find a better time, oh, oh... don't you ever understand, if it hurts I'll do whatever I can..."_

I walked into McGinty's my vision still tinged with red, my body shaking with rage.

"K-k-k-kher, me g-g-g- me lass!" Doc said from behind the bar, drying a glass.

I looked up and gave Doc a smile, feeling a sense of calm wash over me at the sight of the sweet old man. "How's it going, Doc?" I asked.

"All's w-w-w-well as et's w-w-w-w-weakest l-l-l-link," he told me sagely.

"Still mixing up your proverbs, I see," I told him with a smile as I took a seat at the bar.

"W-w-what d-d-d-d-d-d-d... what are ye talkin' 'bout?" he asked confused.

"Nevermind. Too early for a pint?" I asked.

He shook his head and drew me a Guinness, sliding it in front of me. "N-n-n-n-n-ne'er fer-FUCK! ASS!- fer ye."

I forced a smile at him and took a large gulp of the beer, a welcome shiver going through my veins as the cool liquid hit my system.

"Ye sure ye ain' Irish dere, girl?"

I glanced to the side as Murphy pulled up a stool beside me. "Well, I can honestly say I didn't expect you to follow me," I told him as Doc slid a pint in front of him as well before walking to the back to give us privacy.

He shrugged and took a swig.

"I kind of wanted to be alone," I continued.

"No ye didn'. Ef ye wanted tha' ye wouldn' 'ave come 'ere," he replied.

I scowled. "I didn't know where else to go, that's all. Don't act like you know me."

He gave me a look.

"Fine, whatever. Why are you here anyway? You should be talking to Ava."

"Felt like I wa' suffocatin'. Too' off aft' ye di'."

"Murphy..."

He shook his head. "I 'ave a son, Kher. An' she didn' tell me."

"I'm aware," I replied, taking another sip of beer.

"Why didn' she?" he asked, glancing over at me.

"Again, you should be talking to her," I told him gently.

He frowned. "Ye really ain't goin' ta 'elp me?"

I shrugged. "It's not my place," I replied. "And it's not like I didn't tell her that you should know about Aiden. But then again, I didn't realize that she had so many opportunities to tell you," I said snidely, cutting my eyes at him.

He gave me a sheepish look. "She really ne'er tol' ye dat I woul' call?"

"Nope."

He nodded slowly. "Tol' 'er no' ta. Jus' ne'er though' she woul' listen."

I gave him a look. "Why?"

He took another drink, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Why wha'?"

"Why did you not want her to tell me?" I asked, wrapping my hands around my drink.

Murphy sighed and turned towards me, beer in hand. "Didn' wan' tings harder fer ye."

I scowled. "I really wish you and Ava would stop assuming what's best for me. You always have."

"Wha' do ye mean?" he asked.

I sighed and turned towards him. "I'm not as weak as you seem to think."

He shook his head. "Don' tink yer weak, lass. Know yer no', ye pu' u' wi' me brudder."

"Then why? And why keep the calls a secret from Connor, too?"

Murphy ran a hand through his hair. "I wanted Conn ta ge' en tou' wit' ye on 'is own ef 'e wanted ta. Et needed ta be 'is decision."

I bit my lower lip. "Why didn't he ever call?"

He shrugged. "I really don' know. Know 'e picked u' th' pho' a few times, bu' couldn' see' ta dial ye." He sighed. "Tink et wa' jus' too 'ard fer 'im. An' 'e didn' wan' ta 'urt ye an'mo' den 'e fel' like 'e di'."

We sat quietly for several beats.

"'e sti' loves ye, Kher," Murphy said quietly. "Ne'er stopped."

I glanced up at him. "And she loves you."

He gave me a half-smile. "We're quite a pair den," he said, clinking his glass against mine before taking a drink.

"Hey Murphy," I asked, turning towards him.

He raised an eyebrow. "Lass?"

"I have to ask... what the hell did you and Connor do to your heads?"

He brought his hand to his hair. "Wha' are ye talkin' 'bout?"

I drained the rest of my beer. "It looks like someone took a weed whacker to your hair," I told him bluntly.

"Dey were shee' shears, ac'ually," he retorted, his cheeks tinged with pink.

"You guys did it yourselves?" I asked. He nodded. "Yeah... we're gonna have to fix that..."

* * *

I slowly pushed open the door of my apartment, Murphy on my heels. Ava looked up from her seat on the couch while Connor was sitting on the floor with Aiden playing with his toys.

"What's going on here?" I asked, walking in and closing the door behind us.

Aiden got up and walked over to me. "Where did you go, Aunt Kher?"

"I had to go for a walk little man," I told him, ruffling his hair.

"Will you play army men with me and Connor?" he asked with puppy dog eyes.

I glanced over at Connor before looking at Aiden. "Maybe in a little bit, okay?"

Aiden frowned but nodded. "Okay," he said with a pout, turning and walking back over to sit on the floor.

"Can' e'en play wit' me, Kher?" Connor asked with a pout of his own.

I rolled my eyes. "The grown ups need to talk, that's all." Murphy and I walked over to the couch, Murphy on Ava's right, me on her left.

"You still mad?" Ava asked, looking over at me.

"I'm not here for me right now," I replied, crossing my arms over my chest. "I'm here to act as ref for you and Murph."

Ava frowned and looked at Murphy. "What does she mean?" she asked.

"Didn' really ge' a chance ta tal' earlier," Murphy told her, his eyes narrowed.

"We can't talk about this privately?" she pleaded.

"Want ta make sure ye tell me e'eryting," he replied.

"So, now you don't trust me."

He shook his head. "Didn' say tha'."

Ava sighed. "Aiden?"

Aiden looked up from his game with Connor. "Yes, mama?"

"Can you play by yourself for a little bit in Aunt Kherington's room?" she asked.

He frowned. "But, mama, I wanna play with Connor!"

Connor grinned. "'e likes me."

I rolled my eyes. "Probably because you have the same mental capacity," I muttered under my breath.

"What if I promise you can play with Connor and Aunt Kher if you just give us about 20 minutes?" she told him.

I whipped my head towards Ava. "What the fuck!"

"Aunt Kher! Swear jar!" Aiden reprimanded me, shaking his head.

"Whatever, it's worth it," I told Aiden before turning to Ava. "I'm not playing house with him," I hissed at her, jabbing my finger in Connor's direction.

Connor grinned up at me. "Lookin' forwar' ta et, love."

I glared at him. "What, did you plan this?"

He shrugged before turning to Aiden. "Go on, lad. We'll 'ave lots o' fu' en a bi'."

Aiden giggled before running off to my room, closing the door. Connor pulled himself to his feet and squeezed himself next to me. "Jus' like ol' times, isn' et?" he said, throwing his arm over the back of the couch.

"I swear, if you touch me in any way that I don't want to be touched, I will murder you in your sleep," I growled at him.

"Doe' tha' mean I ge' ta sleep ov' den?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Are you two done?" Ava asked, a bored tone to her voice.

I waved my hand at her. "Go on, just pretend we're not here."

Ava rolled her eyes and turned to Murphy. "Are you still pissed?" she asked.

"I don' know, Ava. Do I still 'ave a son tha' 'm jus' now 'earin' 'bout?" he asked her, a touch of anger in his tone.

Ava rubbed her hands over her face. "Murphy, what did you want me to do?"

"Ye don' tink dis es somethin' I woul' 'ave liked ta know?" he growled.

"It's not that I didn't want to tell you!" she exclaimed.

"So why didn' ye! Wha' sto'ed ye!"

"If I had told you, what would you have done?" she asked.

"I woul' 'ave bee' 'roun' fer ye an' th' babe," he replied.

"Exactly!" she exclaimed.

"Wha' th' 'ell do ye mea', 'exactly'?" he asked incredulously.

"You would've felt like you had to come back!"

"O' course I woul' 'ave!"

"I wanted you to come back because _you_ wanted to, not be because _I_ needed you to," she replied.

Murphy looked at her, slightly taken aback. "I woul' 'ave wanted ta come back if ye 'ad tol' me."

Ava shook her head. "I wanted you to come back for me," she said softly.

I glanced over and noticed the pained look cross Murphy's face. "Ava..." he said quietly.

She lifted her hand. "Murphy, it's fine. You asked why I didn't tell you, now you know."

He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "Et's a lo' ta process," he said.

Ava forced a smile. "Believe me, I know."

"Ow! Dammit, Kher," Connor complained suddenly, rubbing his side.

"Will you stop fidgeting!" I exclaimed, shoving him lightly.

"Murphy, how can we talk about this with these _children_ around?" Ava said in a scathing tone, cutting us both a look.

I raised my hands. "Sorry, as you were." I glared at Connor. "Behave," I mouthed.

He scowled at me and crossed his arms over his chest.

Murphy shook his head and looked at Ava. "So, 'e's wha'? Eigh'?"

Ava nodded. "Yup."

"When wa' 'e bor'?" he asked.

"His birthday is December 15th," Ava replied

"So..."

Ava nodded. "He was conceived on March 23rd," she told him quietly.

Murphy leaned over, his elbows on his knees, his hands over his face. "When di' ye know?"

"I found out about a week after the Yakavetta trial. I went to the doctor and he told me I was right around 3 months."

Murphy exhaled a deep breath and leaned back into the couch. "Why di' ye name 'im Aiden?"

Ava shrugged. "It was always a name I liked."

"Wha's 'is full name?" Murphy asked, glancing over at her.

"According to his birth certificate, Aiden Marcus Morgan. But when he's old enough I'm going to tell him it's MacManus and add you to his birth certificate. I just didn't want anything to happen to him because of something as simple as his name…"

Murphy smiled a bit. "I like et," he told her softly.

They sat quietly for a few beats before Murphy laid his hand on her knee. "'m sorry I go' upse' wit' ye," he told her.

Ava shrugged. "I don't blame you. I figured you would be if it ever came up."

"Dis es such a beautiful moment, don' ye tink?" Connor asked me quietly.

I glared at him. "You really know how to _ruin_ a moment, don't you think?" I retorted.

Ava sighed. "Did it kill you two to be quiet that long?" she asked.

I shrugged. "I was fine. Clearly Connor wasn't," I replied.

"'ey," Murphy said, getting Ava's attention. "'ow 'bou' we take Aiden ou'? Le' me ge' ta know 'im."

Ava smiled. "Really?"

Murphy nodded. "Es time, I tink."

They both stood and walked towards my room. I leaned over on the couch to watch the reunited family. I grunted as I felt Connor's weight on top of me. "Really?" I asked, looking back at him.

"Wha'? I wan' ta see wha' 'appens as well," he told me, meeting my gaze.

I rolled my eyes and refocused.

"Aiden," Ava called, opening the door slowly. Aiden looked up at Ava and Murphy in the doorway. "Come here, baby," she said softly.

Aiden stood and walked over. Murphy squatted to be his height. Ava stood behind Aiden, her hands on his shoulders. "Aiden, you know how you always want me to tell you about your dad?" He nodded, looking up at Ava. "Well, this is your daddy," she said.

Aiden looked back at Murphy. "You're my dad?" he asked, his eyes wide.

Murphy swallowed and smiled. "Aye, guess I 'm."

Aiden walked to him slowly. "Where have you been?"

Murphy glanced up at Ava, before looking back at Aiden. "Well, I wa' ou' o' th' country on... business."

Connor snorted above me. I elbowed him in the gut. "Shut up," I hissed.

"Wha' di' I do?" he asked, his eyes wide.

"Can you get off me?" I growled, shoving him. He pressed down on me harder. "Dammit, this is fuckin' harassment," I spat at him. My eyes widened. "Connor… that better be a fuckin' gun in your pocket poking me in the hip," I hissed at him.

He grinned at me, before looking back over at the family. Murphy held Aiden in a hug, bringing himself to full height, his eyes closed. I sniffled quietly.

"Ye cryin'?" Connor asked in disbelief.

"Will you just shut up, please?" I snapped, my voice thick.

* * *

**AN2:**

Anonnie: And I love you for loving this story and loving me! So much love! Eep! I'm so excited that you shriek over this! That's so awesome! :) :) :) I hope you enjoy where this goes... I do feel like there are a couple surprises up my sleeve with it. You're the best!

Rhanon Brodie: Laziness happens to the best of us, haha. Arguments and anger actually aren't so bad to write. Sometimes things being "perfect" can get boring and stale. Plus, relationships aren't perfect, y'know? But I'm glad you liked how that worked. :) Thanks for sticking with me!

Lucy: Yeah, you're pretty awesome, haha. I figured it wasn't realistic for Kher to welcome Conn back with open arms. I mean, he pretty much abandoned her (regardless of his reasons) and then didn't communicate with her. She loves him, but a girl can only take so much! And Ava! I don't even know how she could keep all these secrets! Connor, Connor, Connor... he has a LOT of making up to do! And thank YOU for reading this story and sticking with me and regularly reviewing! There would be no point to writing/sharing this if people didn't enjoy it, so I'm so glad you like it!

Alessandra: No worries, I'm just glad you review at all! Makes a girl feel good! :) Haha, wouldn't we all jump those two Irishmen? I mean, mmm... Yeah, Ava made a call and it wasn't a good one. And Connor should have called. Yes, Kher is dating a mobster. These things happen. But that will eventually be explained (like how it happened). And we shall see what Stefano's fate is. I'm glad you still love this and I love you! Thank you for sticking with me!


	6. Go

******Author's Note:** Hello, hello! I'm really not sticking to not updating, am I? I want to make this last, but... reviews are like crack! So, have a chapter! Thank you, thank you, thank you to all those who have read/reviewed/faved/alerted. I get so excited everytime I get one of those e-mails... it's like Christmas! Special thanks to... **Valerie E. Mackin**, **"Lucy"**, **Conspicuously Shrouded**, **iforgiveyou**, **"Alessandra"**, **"silvermoon"**, **BlueMoonSaint**... you are the BEST! I can't even put into words how awesome you guys are.

******Disclaimer:** I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Go is The Civil Wars. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 6 (Go):**

"_I don't wanna hurt you... do you ever listen... I don't wanna run... you're not the only one... I don't wanna touch you... eternally I'm broken... oh what have we become? What have we become? I don't really care..."_

I laid on the couch, staring up at the ceiling.

"Wha' are ye tinkin'?"

I rolled my eyes and tilted my head back, looking at Connor upside down. "You're still here," I observed.

"Ye tink 'm goin' ta follow afta' dose two?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and gesturing towards the door that Ava, Murphy and Aiden had left out of only moments before. "'ope she 'as a place an' Aiden's a 'eavy sleeper. Learned me lesson th' firs' time."

"Whatever," I muttered, lowering my head and throwing my arm over my eyes.

"Will ye tal' ta me, plea'?" he asked quietly.

"About what?" I replied with a heavy sigh.

"Jus'... e'eryting."

"You're being a total woman right now, Connor. It doesn't suit you," I told him, my eyes still covered.

I heard him sigh above me and then the rustling of movement. I moved my arm and opened one eye to find him squatted beside me, his face level with mine. I sighed. "What?" I asked.

"Didn' ye miss me at all?" he questioned quietly.

I slowly brought my arm down, linking my hands to rest on my stomach. I swallowed heavily. "Of course I did," I murmured.

"Den why won' ye le' me en? Why ye pushin' me 'way?"

I sat up on my elbows, my face turned towards his. "Connor... you're not being fair."

"'ow so?"

I leaned my head back, my eyes fixed on the ceiling. "Connor, you left. I was completely shattered. I had to learn how to live without you. Do you know how hard that was?"

"Aye," he answered. "I 'ad ta do th' same."

I shook my head. "But for you it was _your_ choice. I never got the option."

"I 'ad no choice. No' ef I wan'ed ye ta be safe."

I glanced over at him. "I would've followed you anywhere," I told him quietly. "I would have done anything you asked me to. And you didn't even call me… I never even knew if you were okay…"

He didn't say anything for a few moments. "Kher..." he finally breathed.

I shook my head. "It's done, Connor, there's nothing more to say."

He looked at me frustrated. "So wha' are ye tryin' ta tell me?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but was cut off by the ring of my cell phone in my room. I sighed and stood up. "I'll be right back," I told him, walking to my room. I grabbed my phone off the dresser and bit my lower lip when I saw it was Stefano. I pressed the TALK button and lifted the phone to my ear. "Hello?" I greeted quietly.

"Hey," he said warmly. "Why so quiet?"

"Oh, uh, Aiden's sleeping... I don't wanna wake him, just got him to lie down," I told him.

Stefano scoffed. "He's at the apartment _again_?"

I rolled my eyes. "Stefano, don't start."

"I just don't understand why you're always with a kid that's not even yours," he told me.

"He practically is," I insisted.

"But he literally isn't," he retorted.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Look, if you just called to find fault with my choices and argue, I have other things I can do."

He sighed into the phone. "That's not why I called."

"Then why did you?" I asked, glancing up and frowning when I saw Connor leaning in the doorway, his expression serious. I shook my head and turned my back on him.

"I can't call to say good night?" he asked, his voice suddenly sweet.

I scowled. "You have a funny way of showing it. You still at the Pru?" I asked.

"Yes, things are a mess right now. Boss is freaking out."

"Oh?"

"Don't play dumb, I know you heard."

"Heard what?"

"Kherington," he said, a warning tone in his voice.

"Stefano," I mimicked.

"Those Saints fuckers are back," he told me, a twinge of exasperation in his tone.

"Oh, yes, I think I heard something about that," I commented. I glanced in the mirror and saw that Connor was still watching me from the doorway. "Is there a plan?" I asked as I lowered my gaze, absently scratching at the dresser.

"Not yet. That's why I'm stuck here. I miss you though."

"Awe, that's sweet. I miss you a bit too."

"Come visit me tomorrow," he urged.

"I can't, I have to work," I told him.

"C'mon, Kher, it's not like you work every single moment. Come see me for dinner. I'll pull myself away for an hour."

I sighed. "I'll see what I can arrange," I replied. "But listen, I have to get some rest, okay? I'll call you tomorrow."

He sighed. "Alright," he replied. "Sleep well. Call me if you have a nightmare."

I swallowed. "Will do. Bye." I quickly hung up and tossed the phone on the dresser.

"A lo' o' love dere," Connor commented.

I turned to see him still in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest. "Is eavesdropping on a private conversation a new past-time for you?" I asked snidely.

Connor shrugged. "Jus' curious 'bou' yer new fella," he replied.

"That's none of your business," I told him.

"Ye love 'im?" he asked, an eyebrow raised.

I scowled. "I'm not having this conversation with you," I replied, moving to sit on the edge of my bed.

"Et's a simple question, love. Ye do o' ye don'."

"Connor. Drop it."

He smirked. "Dat's enou' o' an answer."

I groaned and dropped my head back. "Were you always this annoying or is this a new development?"

"I like ta tink 'm determined," he retorted.

I rolled my eyes and lifted my head, leaning back on my arms. "You would." I regarded him for a few moments in silence.

"Wha' are ye tinkin'?" he asked, leaning against the dresser.

"I just... can't take you seriously right now..."

He furrowed his brow. "Wha'?"

"Connor… your hair…"

His hand flew to the top of his head. "Wha's wron' wit' me hai'?"

I snorted. "What isn't wrong with it is the better question. Murphy told me you both cut your own hair. What did you do? Stick your head in a fan and hope for the best?"

He scowled. "Ye tink ye ca' do bett'?"

I shrugged. "I know I can't do worse."

He looked around the room, his eyes narrowed. I let out a deep sigh. "Connor, what are you doing?"

"Ye go' an' scissors?"

"In the bathroom…"

He grabbed my wrist and dragged me towards the bathroom. "Connor! Get off me!" I snapped, trying to pull my wrist from his grasp. He ignored me and only stopped when we were both standing in my bathroom, way too close for my comfort.

"Where?" he asked, glancing down at me.

"I'm not your damn slave, MacManus," I growled, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Yer th' one sayin' dere' sometin' wron' wit' me hair," he retorted with a glare.

I rolled my eyes and opened the cabinet, pulling out a pair of scissors. "Fine. Whatever. Sit."

He obeyed, sitting on the lid of the toilet seat, looking up at me. I avoided his gaze and grabbed a comb. I turned on the faucet and ran the comb under it before running it through Connor's uneven locks, trying to ignore how soft they were. I grabbed a towel off of the rack and held it out to him. "Put this over your shoulders. I don't want to get hair all over you."

"Man' tanks fer tha' lass," he replied, draping the towel around his neck. "Goo'?" he asked.

I nodded. "Now, sit up straight." He straightened up and gave me a mock salute. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling before taking a deep breath and pinching a tuft of hair between my index and middle finger, carefully snipping.

"Ye nervou'?"

I glanced down at Connor to find him peering up at me. "Why would I be nervous?" I asked, returning my focus to his hair.

He shrugged. "Don' kno'. Ye see' a wee bi' tense."

I shook my head and ran the comb through his hair, testing that the ends were even. "You make me feel many things Connor. Nervous doesn't tend to make the list."

"Aye? So wha' doe' den?"

"Rage... frustration... annoyance..."

He chuckled. "Don' tink yer bein' honest wi' yerself, lass."

I scoffed and snipped a few tufts on the other side. "Oh really?"

He nodded.

"Don' move your head," I ordered, laying my hands over his ears to force his gaze forward.

"Aye, yer sti' qui' bossy, girl," he complained.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm doing you a damn favor and making you look human again. Deal with it." I focused on cutting for the next few minutes, Connor managing to stay quiet. I froze when I felt his hands move to my hips, his thumbs brushing over the exposed skin between the top of my jeans and the bottom of my shirt. I slowly looked down and realized I had moved to wedge my body between his legs, his face level with my chest. I swallowed heavily. "Connor, what are you doing?" I whispered, my voice hitching in my throat as his left thumb gently rubbed against my skin. My hands tightened on the comb and clippers in each hand.

Connor slowly lifted his head, his heated gaze meeting mine. "Can' 'elp meself, lass," he murmured. "Ye jus'..." He cleared his throat and slowly stood, his hands still on my waist. He crowded me, forcing me against the wall.

"Connor... no," I bit out, our gazes locked. I shivered as his hand traveled up my side to rest against my cheek.

"Kher," he breathed, slowly leaning towards me.

I moved my hands between us to push him away gently. "You should go," I murmured.

He froze, looking down at me. "Wha'?"

I shook my head and ducked away from him, setting the comb and scissors beside the sink gently. I laid my palms against the marble and stared into the sink. "Connor, we can't just pretend the last eight years didn't happen. Too much has changed." I looked up to meet Connor's gaze in the mirror. His jaw twitched and I could tell he was grinding his molars in frustration.

"Tha's 'ow ye fee' 'bout et?" he murmured.

"Connor, can you please just go?"

He scowled but gave me a short nod, pulling the towel off his shoulders and dropping it to the floor. "Be seein' ye, Kherin'to'," he told me before stalking out of the bathroom. I jumped when I heard my front door slam, my body tensing. I glanced up into the mirror, meeting my own gaze. I stood there, staring at my reflection before walking back to my room, my vision blurred.

* * *

**AN2:**

Lucy: Omg, you make me giggle. ConKher are fun bickering like this. Like little kids. Aiden's more mature than they are, haha. And I'm ALL OVER Connor and anything that involved breakfast, bed, and NAKED all in the same scenario, haha. But he totally owes her. And nope, bring on the "gun". I'm so glad you continue to enjoy this! And maybe eventually we will see a little "Papa" Connor. :-D You are so wonderful. I love your reviews, they get me everytime!

Alessandra: You are too sweet! You're just going to have to be patient! ConKher can't get back together immediately. He had to work to get her the first time... looks like he's gonna have to work on it all over again. ;-) And the family reunion... so. CUTE! Hope this update was soon enough for you and I love your reviews and YOU!

silvermoon: Awe, thank you! I'm so glad you like it! I hope you continue to enjoy (and review, haha)! And we shall see! Connor has A LOT of making up to do for Kher. Just my opinion though, haha. ;-)


	7. Best I Ever Had

**Author's Note:** Hey friends! Here's an extra long chapter for you. A lot of it seems a bit filler-y, but the last filler one seemed to go over okay. Although, I'll be honest, I like pieces, but some of this chapter just doesn't jive well to me... if it's bad, please let me know... it may change in the future... I know there are a lot of questions and I promise they will be answered. I do have a question myself... I've had a couple complaints about Connor and Murphy's accents. I didn't originally intend to make it so strong and apostrophe heavy, but it got away from me. If it is _really_ bad, please let me know and from here on out, I will fix it. If you could just let me know in a review or PM or something. As always, thank you to those that have read/reviewed/faved/alerted. It means the world to me. And special thanks to... **Conspicuously Shrouded**, **iforgiveyou**, **"Annonie"**, **"Lucy"**, **gurl3677**, **Valerie E. Mackin**, **SilverMoonLit, "Alessandra"**... I love each and every single review so seriously, thank you.

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Best I Ever Had is State of Shock. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 7 (Best I Ever Had):**

"_You and I were living like a love song, now I know you're the only one that I want... I want you back, I want you..."_

"Let's go to lunch."

I glanced up at my doorway to see three of my co-workers, Sasha, Penelope and Gina grinning at me. I raised an eyebrow, setting down my highlighter and pushing up my glasses. "And where would we be going?" I asked, leaning back in my chair.

"Silver Peso," Penelope replied with a grin. "$3 Sangrias and $2 tacos."

"Your favorite," Sasha continued, a sing song tone in her voice.

I sighed and took off my glasses rubbing my eyes. "I have so much work to do, though."

Gina scoffed. "C'mon, it's two hours."

I shot her a look. "Please, do not lie to me."

Sasha giggled, throwing her hair over her shoulder. "C'mon, Kher. You always have fun!"

"Until I come back to work drunk," I replied as I pushed myself up from my desk, grabbing my cardigan from the back of my chair.

"Yet you're still coming with us," Gina pointed out as we started walking.

I shrugged. "What can I say? I'm powerless before a Silver Peso sangria and fish tacos."

We walked from our office down the block towards the docks where the Silver Peso loomed before us. Penelope pushed the door open, a cool blast of air hitting us as we entered the dim restaurant.

"Hola Cesar!" Sasha shouted to the man behind the bar.

He smiled and waved his rag at us. "Hola muchachas. Back for lunch?" he asked, his accent heavy.

"You know we can't stay away," Gina flirted as we grabbed a booth.

"Menus necessito or are you ready?" Cesar asked knowingly, tossing the rag on the bar and making his way over to us with a bowl of chips and salsa.

I grinned. "C'mon, Cesar, you know us better than that."

He chuckled. "Peach sangria and fish tacos for Kher, red sangria and chicken tacos for Penelope, white sangria and carnitas tacos for Gina, and strawberry sangria and beef tacos for Sasha," he listed.

"You know us too well," Sasha grinned.

"Have to take care of mi mas bonitas customers," he told us with a wink before making his way to the kitchen.

"Is he still trying to hook you up with his nephew?" I asked Gina, leaning back in my chair.

She rolled her eyes, grabbing a tortilla chip. "Yes. Should I tell him that he's more my type?

I snorted back laughter. "Ow, I think I got salsa up my nose."

"You are always looking for a sugar daddy," Sasha teased.

"I just want someone to take care of me," Gina retorted with a shrug.

"Amen to that," Penelope agreed. "Speaking of… how's Stefano?"

"Stefano's not a sugar daddy," I retorted, pointing a tortilla chip at her.

"Such a waste!" Gina exclaimed. "You are a disgrace to gold diggers everywhere!

I rolled my eyes. "I don't need or want his money."

"I do," she replied. "Share."

I chuckled. "I'll talk to him about it."

Cesar appeared with a tray of drinks, setting them in front of us. "There you are muchachas." He turned to Gina. "Mi sobrino Romeo should be in any minute. You can finally meet him."

I darted my eyes towards him, but stayed quiet, taking a sip of my drink.

Gina gave him a smile. "I look forward to it," she replied. He grinned and walked away and Gina's smile quickly melted into a frown. "Dammit!" she exclaimed. "Why does this shit always happen to me?" She picked up her drink and took a gulp.

Sasha giggled. "You get to meet your future boyfriend!"

Gina frowned, setting down her glass. "But, I like it here," she whined. "I don't want to have to stop coming."

"That's what he said," Penelope quipped. She glanced over at me. "Kher, you alright?"

I shook my head to clear it and glanced over at her. "What? Yeah, I'm good. Just zoned for a minute."

Sasha cocked her head to the side. "You sure? You got really quiet."

I waved them off. "Just thinking."

Penelope gave me a look but let it slide. "G, he might be cute."

"And I might eventually be a ballerina," she retorted.

"You don't strike me as much of a dancer," I replied with a smirk.

* * *

Three sangrias deep, our conversation had turned much more personal. "Best lay you ever had," Sasha asked, her eyes sparkling as she drained what was left of her strawberry, taking out the mixing straw and shoving it in her mouth, chewing it noisily.

"Christmas, 2003," Gina replied.

I barked out a laugh. "Really? You have the date memorized?" I asked.

"Girl, when it's _that_ good? Yes."

"What was so good about it?" Penelope asked. "And I have a feeling we're gonna need to call out the rest of the day."

"Here, here," Sasha and I agreed, lifting our glasses.

Gina grinned. "Well, he was Russian. And let's just say he could roll his 'Rs' just the right way," she replied, stabbing a piece of pork with her fork and lifting it to her mouth.

We all burst into giggles. "Well, that brings up a different question," Sasha said when she calmed down. "Which country puts out the best sexual partners?"

"Have you had sex with a person from every country in the world to give an accurate answer?" I asked.

"Probably," Penelope interjected.

Sasha shot her a glare. "From experience, okay? And U.S. of A. doesn't count. We're a melting pot anyway."

"Well, I just told you," Gina replied. "Russian."

I wrinkled my nose. "All the Russians I've met are fat and dirty and gross."

"This one wasn't."

I shrugged. "Whatever. Pen?"

She thought for a moment. "Gotta give it to the Greeks."

"Oh? Why's that?" I asked.

"No holds barred baby. They will do _anything_."

"Anything?" Sasha asked.

Penelope nodded. "Oh yeah. You should try it."

"Sasha?" Gina urged.

"Italians. They're just so smooth. Right, Kher?"

I bit my lower lip. "Actually, Italian wouldn't be my choice."

They looked at me skeptically. "But… Stefano's Italian," Penelope pointed out. "In case you forgot."

I rolled my eyes. "Well, Stefano's not the best sex I've ever had," I replied with a shrug.

They all gasped. "That just destroyed all of my fantasies," Gina grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest, her mouth turned down in a pout.

I laughed. "I didn't say he was _bad_, just that he's not my _best_."

"So, now I have to know... who wins?" Sasha asked as they all leaned forward.

I grinned. "You have to get it in with an Irishman. They know what they're doing, believe you me." I grabbed my sangria and tipped it towards them before and draining what was left in my glass. "I need another," I muttered, pushing the empty glass away.

Penelope grinned. "You _did _live in Southie back in the day. Aren't Irishmen everywhere around there?"

I nodded, a grin spreading over my face. "My friend, you have _no_ idea."

"Speaking of men everywhere… Kher, I didn't want to say anything but these three guys have been talking to Cesar and this one just will _not_ stop looking at you," Sasha murmured.

I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

She nodded her head over my shoulder. "Take a look."

I sighed and slowly turned in my chair, looking for Cesar. He was sitting at a table near the bar, Romeo immediately to his left. They appeared to be quietly bickering. Murphy sat immediately to Romeo's left. I could recognize his broad shoulders and slight slouch with his back to me. And across from him was Connor, a knit cap pulled low on his head, his eyes on me. A smirk slowly spread over his features as our gazes met and I felt a flush rise to my cheeks.

"Oh son of a bitch," I groaned, turning around.

Gina looked at me. "Someone you know?" she asked.

"You could say that… we should pay our bill and go," I replied.

"That bad?" Penelope asked, looking Connor over. "That's a shame because he is seriously at least a 9."

I bristled. "He's not your type," I told her.

Sasha looked at me strangely. "Some sort of claim?"

"Can we just go?" I hissed.

"Need anything else muchachas?"

We slowly looked up to see Cesar standing at our table, Romeo beside him. I glanced behind them to see Connor and Murphy slowly approaching the table as well.

"Just the check, I think," Sasha replied with a smile.

He nodded. "Well, before you go…" He grabbed Romeo by the neck and thrust him forward. "This is mi sobrino, Romeo. Romeo, this is Kherington, Penelope, Sasha, and Gina. Keep them company, si?" He walked off to grab our check without waiting for a response.

"Hola, ladies," Romeo said, a smile spreading over his face as he looked each of us over. He gave me a nod when his eyes focused on me. "Nice to see you again, Kherington."

I forced a smile. "Yup, you too."

Gina raised an eyebrow. "You two have met?" she asked, glancing between us.

"Briefly," I replied. I glanced up at Connor and Murphy who wore identical smirks and rolled my eyes.

"Are you going to introduce us to your friends?" Sasha asked, batting her lashes at Murphy.

"'m Sean O'Malley an' dis es me brudder, Ian," Connor introduced.

I snorted back laughter at the name change.

Penelope's eyes lit up. "Irish, hmm? Our friend here was just telling us how… talented… Irishmen are."

My eyes widened. "Pen, you better, shut your mouth," I hissed.

"Aye?" Connor asked, his eyes darting to me.

"And wha' sort o' talents would dat be den?" Murphy asked, his smirk growing.

I felt my cheeks flush and pushed myself away from the table. "I have to use the restroom, excuse me." I quickly walked away from the table and ducked into the bathroom. Jesus, they are everywhere. I splashed water on my face and smoothed down my hair before taking a look at my reflection. I shrugged and walked out of the bathroom.

"I'm startin' ta tink our whole relationship could take place en dere."

I scowled and turned towards Connor. "Really?"

"Wha'?" he asked, leaning against the wall.

"You followed me?"

He shrugged. "'ad ta use the facilities as it were."

I rolled my eyes. "Thought you were mad at me."

He cocked his head to the side. "'m I supposed ta be?"

"You left in a bit of a huff yesterday, 'Sean'," I pointed out.

He gave me a grin. "'ave ta fergive me, lass. Was jus' a bit frustrated like."

I involuntarily glanced down at his crotch and shook my head, forcing myself to meet his eyes. His smirk grew. "Ye alrigh'?"

"What do you want?" I asked with a scowl, crossing my arms over my chest.

He shrugged. "I want a lot o' tings, lass. Worl' peace… some rope… a goo' bowl o' me ma's stew…"

"What. Do. You. Want." I asked again.

"Tink ye can figure et ou', girl," he replied.

I shook my head. "Not gonna happen."

Connor shrugged and pushed himself off the wall. "Goo' ting 'm patient den," he replied as he stood to full height and walked over to me. "An' apparently, quite skilled as well," he murmured, kissing me on the cheek before walking back to join his brother.

I exhaled a deep breath I didn't know I'd be been holding before I slowly followed back to the table to see Romeo and Gina chatting animatedly while Penelope typed away on her Blackberry and Sasha was attempting to flirt with a very distracted Murphy. I grabbed my purse and tossed a few bills on the table. "I'm going back to work ladies... you coming?"

Penelope glanced up from her phone and tucked it into her purse. "I'm with you. I should prepare for my meeting tomorrow." She flicked her eyes between Sasha and Gina. "You two coming?"

"We'll catch up," Sasha told us with a smile.

I shrugged. "Nice to see you again, Romeo," I told him.

He glanced up from Gina. "Sure, I'll be seeing you."

I nodded and looked over at Connor and Murphy. "Always a pleasure, boys."

Murphy grinned. "The pleasure es ours, lass."

I rolled my eyes and followed Penelope out of the restaurant, feeling Connor's eyes on my back as I walked.

* * *

"Miss me?"

I looked up and smiled when I saw Detective Duffy in my doorway later that afternoon. "Always. I was wondering where you've been."

He grinned and shut the door before sitting in the chair across from my desk. "Greenbeans said you weren't much help to him yesterday."

I shrugged. "He's just mad I like you better," I told him with a wink.

Duffy raised an eyebrow. "You seem unnaturally happy."

I leaned back in my chair, crossing my legs and folding my hands in my lap. "I can't be in a good mood? I mean, it's a beautiful day to be alive, Brian."

"Alright, now I know something's up," he commented. "You drunk?"

I rolled my eyes. "I may have had a few cocktails for lunch. Are you going to arrest me?"

He shook his head and chuckled. "How are you still employed?"

I shrugged and smiled. "How about you tell me what you need?"

"Same thing I always do," he replied.

I pouted. "Sometimes I feel like you're just using me."

Duffy chuckled. "Only sometimes?"

"So, is there anything in particular you need?" I asked.

"Give me something so I can rub it in Greenly's face," he replied.

I chuckled. "Well, Yakavetta and his men are holed up in the Pru. Not sure what floor, but I should be finding that out tonight."

Duffy raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? How so?"

"I'm supposed to visit Stefano tonight." I glanced at the clock over Duffy's shoulder. "Actually, I should get ready to leave now."

He gave a look of concern. "You be careful. That's the equivalent of entering the lion's den."

I shrugged. "I can handle those guys," I told him confidently.

He shook his head. "Don't get overly confident, Kher, it could backfire."

I waved my hand, dismissing his concern.

"You know why they're at the Pru?" he asked, leaning forward, his knees on his elbows.

"The boys, obviously," I replied easily.

"Connor and Murphy?"

I nodded. "The very same."

"You know anything about those two?"

I bit my lower lip. "Well, they are, in fact, back in town, but you already knew that."

Duffy raised an eyebrow. "You saw them?"

I nodded. "In the flesh."

"How'd that go?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Now, why do I get the feeling we're crossing into gossip territory rather than simple information?"

Duffy raised his hands, palms out. "You don't need to tell me anything you don't want to."

"Good."

"But that does explain your good mood," he pointed out.

I wrinkled my nose. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Duffy chuckled. "Yeah, okay, Kher."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. Need anything else?"

He shook his head. "That'll do. But I'll be checking in tomorrow. See if you got anything for me."

"Why, Brian," I said, taking on the accent of a Southern Belle. "People will start to talk."

He snorted. "They already do."

I laughed. "Touché, my friend, touché."

"But like I said, be careful tonight," he said, his tone serious.

"Yes, dad," I replied.

* * *

I stepped out of the cab at the Prudential building, slipping my sunglasses over my eyes. I moved to the passenger side window and thanked the cab driver, slipping him some cash before walking into the building.. I glanced down at my phone, checking the time. "6:15pm," it read. I sighed and slipped the phone into my jacket pocket before crossing the lobby, my heels clicking on the linoleum before stepping into the elevator. I pressed the 40 button and waited as I slowly made my ascent.

RING RING

I pulled my phone out of my pocket, glancing at the ID. "PRIVATE NUMBER". I scowled, but answered anyway. "Hello, you've reached Kherington Harris."

"Wha' are ye wearin'?"

I rolled my eyes. "Seriously, Connor?"

He gasped. "'ow'd ye know et was me?"

"Lucky guess," I told him snidely. "What do you want?" I asked, glancing up to see I was at the 27th floor.

"Can' call ta say 'ello?" he asked.

I sighed. "Now really isn't a good time."

"Goin' ta see yer fella?" he asked in a scathing tone.

"Not that it's your business, but yes."

"Fer 'ow long?"

"Haven't put a time limit," I replied as the doors slid open on the 40th floor. "Look, I'll have to call you back," I told him.

"Ye don' 'ave the number, so 'ow can ye?" he returned.

"Fine, then you call me back in like two hours," I told him, my tone impatient.

"Lookin' ferwar' ta et," he replied. I could hear that he was grinning. I quickly hung up the phone and tucked it into my pocket. I went to walk out of the elevator but was quickly shoved to the side as one of Yakavetta's cronies practically fell into the lift.

"Jesus," I muttered.

"Sorry," he told me, his voice not bearing a hint of sincerity.

I rolled my eyes and walked down the hallway, approaching the door. I could hear deep laughter on the other side. I took a deep breath and slowly made my way inside, looking around. Yakavetta's men were milling around aimlessly, clumped in different groups, some with much younger women, which made me wrinkle my nose in distaste. A long table filled with finger foods sat in the middle of the room. I surveyed the room carefully before I was able to settle my gaze on Stefano. He glanced over and held up a finger to let me know he'd be over in a second. I sighed and lifted my sunglasses to rest on my head.

"Little ol' ta be a concubine, aren'th you?" a voice slurred and lisped from beside me.

I glanced over and saw Paulino. My eyes widened as I took in his head gear. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Bosth got a little upthet," he replied, clearly embarrassed.

"I see," I replied, wiping my face.

He walked away, slurping his drink through a straw.

"You made it," Stefano said as he approached, kissing me lightly.

I nodded, looking up at him. "You asked me to stop in, here I am."

He smiled. "I'm glad you did. You hungry?"

I shook my head. "Not at the moment. Do I get you to myself for a bit or do I have to stay with the group?"

He looked around. "I think they're pretty well distracted, I can get away for a few."

We walked to his room, his hand on the small of my back. I slipped out of my cardigan and tossed it over the bedpost before sitting down on the bed, crossing my legs and leaning back on my hands. "Considering how messy things are, everything seems to be fairly calm out there," I told him.

Stefano shrugged as he loosened his tie. "Concezio is behind closed doors. A bit panicky," he explained, tossing the tie onto the dresser.

I nodded. "Is his stress the reason for Paulino?" I asked, watching him as he unbuttoned his top button before sitting beside me.

Stefano snickered. "Paulino decided it was a good idea to correct Concezio the other night."

I shook my head. "Idiot... what did the damage?"

"A giant sausage."

I burst out laughing at the image. "Are you serious?" I asked.

He nodded with a grin. "As a heart attack."

I giggled lightly. "I want to feel bad for him, but I can't. It's just too good."

Stefano chuckled but suddenly his face turned serious. "I have to ask you something," he said.

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh...?"

"Was someone at your apartment last night?" he asked.

I frowned. "I told you that Aiden was over."

"Anyone else?" he asked.

I narrowed my eyes. "Do you have people spying on me?"

"Don't get defensive, I'm just asking. And I'm not having you followed, I just hear things."

I scowled. "Ava came over with some friends," I told him.

He raised an eyebrow. "Apparently at least one of them was there for a while," he told me.

I rolled my eyes. "Stef, you know I had a life before you."

He sighed. "Look, we just can't be too careful, especially if these Saints are back in town."

"So suddenly you think I have the mysterious Saints in my back pocket?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"You used to live in Southie," he pointed out.

"So everyone that lived in Southie in '99 knew the Saints?" I asked skeptically.

Stefano scowled. "You just have an answer for everything, don't you?"

I rolled my eyes. "You're accusing me of things based on your paranoia and that's not fair."

"Fine, I'll drop it," he told me.

"And stop having me followed," I told him.

"I can't stop something I haven't started," he retorted.

* * *

I walked out of the Pru about an hour later, smoothing my clothes, slipping my sunglasses over my eyes. I fluffed my hair and walked to the end of the sidewalk lifting my arm to hail a cab Suddenly, a souped up Volkswagen Beetle pulled up to the curb and the passenger side window was lowered.

"Nee' a ri', lass?" Murphy asked with a grin, sticking his head out of the passenger seat, sunglasses over his eyes and a stocking cap pulled low.

"Are you crazy!?" I hissed, looking around quickly before pulling open the back door and sliding in next to Connor, shoving him over. "Romeo, drive!" I commanded.

"As you wish, chica," he replied as he pulled away from the curb, his tires squealing. I shook my head and glanced over at Connor who was cleaning his guns, but watching me out of the corner of his eye.

"What the hell are you three doing?" I asked, pulling at a string on my skirt before meeting Romeo's eyes in the rearview mirror.

"Leprechauns 1 and 2 were worried about you. We've been driving around the block the last 20 minutes," Romeo replied, speeding down the highway.

I rolled my eyes. "Seriously?"

"Yakavetta's dangerous, girl," Murphy told me, looking over his shoulder.

"I wasn't _with_ Concezio," I told him. "I've never even _met_ the man." I glanced over at Connor. "You're awfully quiet," I told him, my eyes narrowed.

"Concentratin'," he offered carefully putting his Desert Eagle back together. "Go' bored waitin' fer ye."

I sighed. "Well, I guess I should be thankful for the free ride."

"That's the spirit!" Romeo exclaimed with a grin.

I chuckled. "Seriously, though, maybe you guys should be a little more concerned about yourselves than me. The Italians are out for blood. More specifically, yours."

"We kno'," Connor replied. "Two hun'red fiddy bi' ones, in fac'."

Murphy snickered. "Ye tink we can' 'andle dem?"

I rolled my eyes. "There's three of you and over a dozen of them."

"Ye o' little faith," Connor muttered, slipping his guns back into their holsters.

I shrugged. "Fine, whatever." I stiffened as I felt Connor's arm move behind my shoulder. "What are you doing?" I asked, my eyes narrowed at him.

He gave me a wink. "Jus' gettin' comfortable, lass," he replied, his fingers lightly grazing my arm.

I scoffed at him before grabbing his wrist and moving his arm off me. "You are a giant pest," I told him with a sniff.

He grinned. "Love et when ye tal' dirty like tha', love," his hand resting on my knee.

I leaned forward between the front seats. "What are you guys doing anyway?" I asked, looking at Murphy.

"Plannin'," he replied, giving me a toothy smile.

"Wow… so specific… I feel like I've been with you guys the whole time," I told him sarcastically.

Romeo laughed. "I really like this broad. She doesn't put up with all your shit."

I grinned. "Just gotta know how to handle them," I told him. "Plus, I'm cute. That helps."

Murphy rolled his eyes. "Yer alrigh', I guess." I swatted him on the back of the head. "Ow! Th' fuck wa' tha' fer!?"

"Be nice," I replied. I turned to Romeo and grinned. "So how did it go with you and Gina?" I asked.

Romeo cut his eyes at me before turning his focus back to the road. "What do you know about it?"

"You will discover that I know a little bit about everything," I replied.

"Jus' enough ta make ye dangerous," Murphy teased.

I chuckled. "As long as you know, Murph," I replied before turning back to Romeo. "So…?"

"So, nothin'. We were just talkin'," he replied, a flush coming to his cheeks as he switched lanes.

"You're not going to hold out on me, are you?" I pouted. "Thought we were friends, Rome."

He scowled. "If yer anything like these two Leprechaun dicks, you're just waiting for ammunition."

I snorted. "Please. Their bark is much worse than their bite. And I only nibble."

"Aye, she's righ' 'bout dat," Connor piped in. "Less ye ask fer a wee bit more."

I shot him a dirty look over my shoulder. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were part of this conversation."

Connor grinned and shrugged. "As ye were."

I rolled my eyes and turned back to Romeo. "It's fine, I'll talk to Gina about it at some point if you don't want to tell me."

Romeo scowled. "She gave me her number and told me to call her when I got a job."

I chuckled. "Sounds like her," I replied before leaning back on the seat, sliding closer to the door and laying my head against the window, closing my eyes.

I shivered when I felt Connor's lips brush my ear. "When di' ye ge' a tat, love?" he whispered.

I opened one eye to see him staring at me, his blue eyes twinkling. "What are you talking about?" I tried to keep my face neutral.

"Saw a pie' jus' no'. Le' me see," he said, pushing my shoulder gently.

"You're imagining things," I snapped, pressing my back into the seat.

He raised an eyebrow. "Den le' me see," he argued.

"There's nothing to see," I replied.

He glanced towards the front seat to see that Murphy and Romeo were occupied in a discussion before turning back to me, his eyes flashing. "Kher, I kno' e'ery squa' inch o' yer body," his voice low, almost a growl.

I swallowed and resisted the urge to fan myself. "You haven't seen me in a while, Connor. Could've forgotten birthmarks or something."

He snorted. "Las' I checked, people didn' 'ave green en deir birthmarks. An' believe me..." He paused as his eyes raked over me, from the top of my head to the tips of toes before his eyes met mine. "I 'aven' fergotten a ting," he assured me, the blue in his eyes darkening to almost cobalt.

I internally shuddered, remembering exactly what he wouldn't be forgetting. I looked down as I felt a blush creep onto my cheeks. I cleared my throat. "So, you guys are bringing me back to my apartment, I hope?" I asked, looking up at the front seat, trying to ignore Connor's heated gaze.

"We're here," Romeo replied, coming to a stop.

I quickly extracted myself from the car, trying to get away from Connor as soon as I could. "Thanks for the ride," I yelled to them before ducking into my apartment building without waiting for a response. I practically ran up the stairs and unlocked my door, slamming it shut and leaning against it, out of breath. I slid to the floor, my eyes closed. I reached into my pocket when I felt my cell phone vibrating and pulled it out.

1 NEW MESSAGE

I swallowed and opened it. The number was unfamiliar.

_Looking forward to seeing the tattoo, love... and finding out if there are any other 'surprises' under the clothes. -Conn_

I groaned and threw the phone across the room.

**AN2:**

Annonie: I know, what a silly boy. And he just wants every to be like it was. ::Sigh:: Typical man... And thank you! I know I get a little redundant, but it means so much to me that people like this. It's so flattering and inspiring. :) I hope this didn't disappoint! Your reviews make my day (if not week!) so I guess we're even!

Lucy: You are a trickster! Guilt tripping me into updating by telling me it's your birthday! Well, I didn't give you two chapters, but I gave you an extra long one. Does that work? And of course... HAPPY BIRTHDAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! ::Birthday hug!:: I'm so glad you liked the hair part. I just had to throw that in there. No way they managed to give themselves perfect haircuts with rusty sheep shears. And yes, Connor needs to give Kher time to adjust. And men are silly. But they are awfully cute. :) And Stefano... hmmm... Haha! A voodoo doll! I love it! You are so fun! :) (I know this didn't quite make it on your actual birthday but I had sent it to a friend of mine to look over before I posted and she didn't get back to me... I know it's late but here! I hope it's not a disappointment! And stop crying! Haha...)

Alessandra: Awe! Well we give each other smiley happy feelings! Yay! :) Haha, yeah, I like snarky Connor and Kher. And yes, a lot of sexual tension in that haircut, haha. And you did make me chuckle. "Murphy and Connor on top". Haha, love it! Be patient my dear... things will work out... in someway... I can't tell you how, I don't want to spoil anything! But I love you and your review! But you most of all! Just so much love here! :)


	8. Marchin' On

**Author's Note:** And onward... I couldn't let the weekend close with a chapter. Ha. I would say more, but I'm kinda sleepy. As always, thank you to those that have read/reviewed/faved/alerted. It means the world to me. And special thanks to... **iforgiveyou, ****SilverMoonLit, BlueMoonSaint, ****gurl3677, ****Conspicuously Shrouded, "Beth"**, **"Lucy"**, **Valerie E. Mackin**,** "Alessandra", "Anonnie"**... Your reviews seriously keep me going and really make me push myself, so I cannot thank you enough.

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Marchin' On is OneRepublic. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 8 (Marchin' On)**

"_For those days we felt like a mistake... those times when love's what you hate... somehow, we keep marching on..."_

I looked up from my laptop when I heard a knock at my door. I sighed and shut the computer, tossing my glasses on the coffee table and peered out the peephole. Standing with a smile was a pretty strawberry blonde woman in a navy suit. I raised an eyebrow and slid the deadbolt to unlock the door, pulling it open. "May I help you?" I asked.

She gave me a smile. "I'm hopin' so, sugar," she replied, her voice thick with a southern accent, almost like it had been dipped in honey. "You Kherington Harris?"

"Possibly. Depends on who's asking," I told her.

She grinned. "Awfully suspicious, ain'tcha?" She smoothed her suit jacket. "May I come in?"

"Not if I can't get a name or reason that you're here," I returned, not unkindly, standing my ground at the door.

She raised an eyebrow. "Damn suspicious," she commented, reaching into her pocket. She pulled out a billfold and flipped it open. I peered at it closely. "Special Agent Eunice Bloom, FBI," I read. I pursed my lips and met her eyes. "And what would the FBI want with me?"

She gave me a smile. "You let me in, I'll be sure to discuss all of that with you." I regarded her silently for several moments, the seconds ticking by as she held my gaze. She finally gave a sigh, but didn't break the eye contact. "You can either let me in on your own accord or I can get a warrant and force my way in. Your choice, sweetheart."

I scowled but stepped to the side, letting her pass, her heels clicking on the floor. I shut the door and locked it, moving back towards the couch and away from her.

"Your place is cute," she commented after several beats of tense silence.

I pursed my lips. "Thank you. Can I get you a drink or anything?"

"Nah, darlin', I'm fine," she replied, taking a seat on my recliner and crossing her legs. She reached behind her, taking the clip out of her hair, letting it fall in waves over her shoulders, making herself at home.

I slowly took my seat back on the couch, curling my legs under me. "Are you going to tell me what you want or should I start guessing?"

"I was just gettin' comfortable," she told me, resting her arms on the recliner.

I waited impatiently, drumming my fingers on my bare knee. I could feel myself fidgeting under her intense stare. "_Well_?" I asked, finally breaking the silence, my nails digging into my knee.

A grin spread over her features. "Am I makin' you nervous?" she asked, leaning forward.

"I just want you to tell me what the hell you're doing here, _Agent_," I replied.

"You get straight to the point, dontcha?"

"Don't really see the point in wasting our time, do you?" I retorted, crossing my arms over my chest.

She sighed. "I must admit... I didn't anticipate this much resistance on your part."

"Let's just say I've become overly cautious and careful over time," I replied.

"Look, I'm just hoping you'll give me some information," she pressed.

"On?"

"What do you usually tell Detective Duffy?" she asked, dropping the bait.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "What are you saying?"

Special Agent Bloom let out a deep sigh of frustration. "Look... why don't I tell you what I know and then you can possibly fill in some blanks for me?"

I cocked my head to the side. "I make no promises. You may be FBI but as far as I can tell, you have no rights or jurisdiction over what I tell you. Otherwise you'd be dragging me down to the station."

Her eyes narrowed, a scowl marring her pretty features. "I'm trying to help you, darlin', and if you let me do that, I can help your boys too."

I shrugged. "I don't have any boys that need help, so try again."

"Not even the Saints?" she asked, casting her line again.

I shrugged and shook my head. "Not sure what connection you think I have to them, but I can assure you that I'll be no help in that department."

She slammed her hands down on the armrest. "Dammit! Why are you being so difficult? I know everything!" she cried, her cool persona cracking.

"Oh? And what's everything?" I asked her, coolly, leaning back into the couch.

"I know you dated Connor MacManus back in 1998 and your friend Ava Morgan dated his brother, Murphy MacManus. I know the relationships began before they became known as 'The Saints'. I'm aware that you were in the presence of at least one crime scene. I know Ava gave birth to a son on December 15, 1999, Aidan, almost 6 months after the Yakavetta trial and shooting. In 2005 you began dating Stefano Colacitti, around the same time you signed on to become an undercover informant for the Boston Police Department under the protection of Detective Brian Duffy. Am I good so far?"

I sighed. "Look... I'm not trying to be difficult or make things hard for you, Special Agent Bloom..."

"Call me Eunice."

"Okay, Eunice. I'm really not, but I'm not comfortable giving you this information and until you come in here with a way to force it out of me, I'm going to exercise my right not to discuss."

"Who do you think you're protecting in this? Talking to me is not going to jeopardize anything," she practically pleaded with me.

I shook my head. "I'm protecting myself. And you cannot promise me that."

Eunice steepled her hands under her chin. "Did you give Smecker this much of an issue?"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Special Agent Smecker barely knew me, but he approached me under much different circumstances, I can assure you."

She shook her head and stood. "I see that this is simply a waste of both our times." She carefully brushed off her skirt. "I'm sure we will meet again Ms. Harris and I hope circumstances will be better for both of us."

I shrugged. "Only time will tell, Eunice."

She gave me a forced smile and walked to the door. She turned to me, her hand on the knob. "Your secrets are going to have to come out eventually, Ms. Harris. I just hope you're telling the right people when they do."

"Is that a threat?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Not at all, sugar. Just something I've learned." With that, she turned and opened my apartment door, disappearing into the hallway.

I sunk into the couch, rubbing my hands over my face. Things were getting much more complicated now that Connor and Murphy had returned.

SLAM!

I swung my head towards my bedroom door. "What the fuck..." I muttered. I carefully stood up from the couch and quietly made my way towards the room, trying to keep my steps silent. I quietly pushed open the door and silently snarled when I saw the back of a familiar peacoat and a light brown head of hair. I looked around and saw a black pump on the floor. I looked back to him to see he had crouched in the doorway of my closet, as if he was looking for something. I carefully squatted and grabbed my shoe. Standing to full height, I took aim and let the shoe fly managing to hit him right in the middle of the back of his head.

"OW! Th' fuck!?" Connor bellowed, jumping to his feet and spinning to face me, his gun drawn in what must have become a habit.

I glared at him. "You have some fuckin' nerve," I hissed at him.

He looked at me sheepishly, tucking his gun away and rubbing the back of his head. "Ye didn' 'ave ta frow so 'ard, di' ye lass?" he asked.

"Um, you just broke into my house... and this isn't the first time, I might add... not to mention you just pulled a _gun_ on me, and you have the nerve to be upset about a shoe?" I asked incredulously.

He gave me an apologetic smile. "'m sorry, lass, really. I jus' thou' I woul' dro' en."

I scowled at him and crossed my arms over my chest. "What are you doing here? And why are you going through my closet?"

"Ca' I ge' a drin', girl?" he asked, ignoring my questions.

"The fuck does this look like? Hooters?"

Connor's eyes immediately moved to my chest. "Yer a bi' o'er dressed ef et es," he replied, his eyes slowly moving up to meet mine.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Connor, you can't just keep sneaking into my apartment like this."

"An' why's tha' den?" he asked, crouching down and grabbing a box of pictures from the bottom of my closet before sitting on my bed.

I quickly moved over to him and grabbed the box from his hand. "What the hell do you think you're doing!?" I exclaimed, gripping the box to my chest.

He frowned. "'mon, Kher, I jus' wan' ta 'ave a loo'," he reasoned.

I hugged the box closer to my chest and turned my back to him as he reached for me. "Connor, I don't know if you've forgotten but we are _not _together anymore! You have no right to just sneak in here and go through my things!"

"Kher, dey are jus' pictures. 'm 'lowed ta 'ave a pee'," he retorted, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around me, his hands reaching around me for the box.

"Then you _ask_ to see them," I replied, attempting to curl myself into a ball to keep the box of photographs from him. "You're missing the point of courtesy."

"Ne'er bee' courteous like." He finally managed to get a grip on the box, pulling it from my arms and sitting on the bed, a triumphant grin on his face. He patted the bed beside him. "'ave a sea', Kher. We ca' loo' a' dese tageth'."

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. "This is not time for bonding."

He rolled his eyes. "Sui' yersel'." He carefully took the top off and set it to the side, reaching in and pulling out a stack of pictures. I sighed and moved to the other side of the bed to have a seat, looking at the pictures over his shoulder. I tried to ignore the scent of tobacco and the sharp tang of his soap as it floated into my nostrils. He gave me a side eye. "Though' et wa'n' bondin' time," he muttered.

I rolled my eyes. "I haven't looked at these in a while," I murmured, looking down at the pictures in his hands.

Dozens of pictures from our time together stared back at us. It felt like a lifetime ago, but at the same time, sitting with him, it didn't feel as though any time had passed at all. Pictures of him. Pictures of me. Pictures together. Pictures of Ava and Murphy. Even a few of Rocco. I bit my lower lip and smiled.

"Dis wa' always me favorite," Connor whispered. He gripped the photo in his hands as we both stared down at it. In it, Connor was standing behind me, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist, his chin resting on my shoulder. His face was split in a huge grin, his blue eyes shining. My fingers were laced with his over my stomach, my eyes bright and my cheeks rosy, my mouth spread in a wide grin of my own. Snowflakes were falling around us, some caught in our hair and lashes, catching the light and almost sparkling.

I felt a lump in my throat, but I still smiled at the memory. "It was Christmas time, wasn't it?" I asked, my eyes still on the picture.

Connor nodded. "Aye." He moved onto the next picture and chuckled. It was one of the five of us. Murphy and Ava were kissing under a sprig of mistletoe. Rocco was in the middle giving the camera the finger and looked as though he was right in the middle of speaking. I was on Connor's back, biting his ear as he was laughing. Connor sighed and lightly dragged his fingers over Rocco. "Miss ye, Roc," he murmured.

"It was a long time ago, Connor," I murmured, moving away from him, shuffling absently through the pictures. I felt his gaze turn to me and the intensity of his stare. I forced myself not to look up.

"I really 'urt ye... didn' I?"

I looked up and met Connor's eyes in surprise. "What?"

"Yer diff'ren'. Ye 'ave a wall u'. Can' 'elp bu' tink et's me own faul'." He ran his hands over his thighs, digging his fingers into his knees.

I bit my lower lip and looked away. "Did you really expect that you would come back and things would be exactly like they were? That somehow I'd see you and forget that you just vanished for 8 years?"

He sighed. "I guess a par' o' me wa' 'opin' tha', ta be honest."

I glanced over at him. "As much as you like to pretend sometimes... life isn't a movie, Connor."

He chuckled. "Guess yer righ'." He cautiously moved his hand over mine and hesitantly laced our fingers together. I knew deep down that I should stop him, but I just couldn't. "I 'm sorry. I lef' ta kee' ye safe an' den I didn' call because I didn' wan' ta make et 'arder... I know dat wa' a mistake. 'f I coul' change et, I woul'." He smiled at me. "We were goo' tagether though, weren' we? Befer?"

I bit my lower lip. "We were," I murmured, meeting his gaze.

He gave my hand a squeeze before pulling away and standing up. "Sorry fer jus' droppin' en like I di'. Can' 'elp bu' wan' ta see ye. I di' miss ye... e'eryday."

"You have to stop coming here like this," I told him quietly. "It's not safe for you. Same for Murph and Romeo."

"Wha' do ye mea'?" he asked.

"Stefano was asking questions about the other night. When you and Murphy were first here."

He narrowed his eyes, his hands stuffed into his pockets. "Wha' kin' o' questions?"

"Questions like who was at the apartment... how long were they here... why were they here.. things like that..."

Connor's nostrils flared and his expression went stormy. "'e's 'avin' ye watched den," he spat.

I shook my head. "I never said that."

"Ye didn' 'ave ta. Wha' kin' o' relationship ye 'ave wit' 'im dat 'e 'as ye followed?" he growled.

I sighed and rubbed a hand over my face. "I didn't say that either."

A deep scowl came over his features. "'ow else woul' 'e know den?"

"He's mob, Connor. They can figure things out," I told him with a shrug.

"Why ye wit' 'im, Kher? No' like ye love 'im."

I pinched the bridge of my nose and squeezed my eyes shut. "Connor, I told you I'm not talking to you about that. I'm just telling you to be careful."

He scoffed. "Ain' scared o' ye fella."

"Whatever, do you what you want," I replied with a shrug.

He opened his mouth to retort but was cut off by his cell phone ringing. He grunted and pulled the phone out of his pocket, pulling it to his ear. "'ello?...Kher's...no'?...alrigh'...pick me u' en fi'?...alrigh'." He hung up the phone, tucking it back in his pocket.

"Murph?" I asked.

"Aye," he replied with a nod. He stared at me, regarding me carefully. "Be seein' ye, Kher," he told me with a crooked grin. Before I could reply, he ducked out of the apartment.

* * *

**AN2:**

Beth: Welcome back! Connor is fun, isn't he? And I'm really glad you like this. Thank you for answering me about the accents! I really wanted other people's opinions about it. And you make a really good point about the second film. I will never watch the movie the same, haha. And I spoil because updating gets me wonderful reviews like yours, so it's a give and take deal. ;-)

Lucy: I'm glad you liked it! And yeah, Kher has a tat. Perhaps we will see what she has, hmmm? Haha. I hope you had an awesome birthday and I'd love to know what your tattoo is! You are so welcome for the chapter and thank you for the reviews. You are greattttt! And yeah, Kher has a few tricks up her sleeve. ;-)

Alessandra: That's a lot of omg's! I had to include the rope! It's Connor's bff! Kher seriously has ironclad resistance, doesn't she? And omg, if these two were real, all women in the world would be RUINED. I'm totally with you on the hunting. And no, my dear, I love YOU! :)

Anonnie: There is so much sexual tension between them it eventually has to just explode, right? I'm so glad you're still liking it! You are fantastic. :)


	9. So Right

**Author's Note:** I legitimately have no self control when it comes to posting. None. Zero. Zilch. Nada. So, naturally... like 15 hours later... here's chapter 9. What is my life? As always, thank you to those that have read/reviewed/faved/alerted. It means the world to me. And it's your fault I can't resist posting. I just love you guys too much, haha. Biggest specialest thanks to... **Conspicuously Shrouded**, **SilverMoonLit,** **Valerie E. Mackin**, **"Megan", BlueMoonSaint, ****iforgiveyou, ********gurl3677, "Alessandra",**** "Beth"**, **"Lucy"**... I seriously have no words for how amazing you guys are for reviewing, especially since for the most part you all take the time to review each chapter. I want to hug all of you and send you cake.

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. So Right is Dave Matthews Band. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 9 (So Right):**

"_Stay up and make some memories, yeah with us now… roll the red carpet out with friends to whom love and roll on…"_

"So, how long are you gonna punish Connor?" Ava asked.

"Aunt Kher, are you putting Uncle Connor in time out?" Aiden asked, his blue eyes wide. "Has he been bad?"

I glared at the both of them, mixing the brownie batter. "Really, A? You're gonna turn my nephew against me? And Aiden, how can you call him your Uncle? You just met him!"

Aiden shrugged. "He's daddy's brother. That makes him my uncle. Duhhhhh."

I rolled my eyes. "You're too easy, squirt."

Ava threw me a mock dirty look. "Don't call my son easy."

"Whatever. Aiden, you better be nice to me or I won't let you lick the spoon."

"I love you, Aunt Kher!" he squealed, running towards me.

"OOF!" I grunted as he slammed into my thighs, wrapping his little arms around my hips.

"Okay, you're right, he's easy," Ava agreed, sitting on one of the stools in her kitchen.

"Told ya," I replied, handing the spoon off to Aiden. He walked over to the kitchen table, licking the spoon happily.

"So, how about you answer my question," she urged.

I sighed and bent over to put the brownies in the oven. "I'm not punishing him."

"Then what _are_ you doing pray tell?" she asked, cradling her chin in her hands.

"Don't you have a date with 'daddy'?" I asked, exasperation in my tone, throwing her a look over my shoulder.

"I do, but he won't be here for another 10 minutes or so. Plenty of time to discuss your issues."

"I don't have issues," I retorted.

"Except that you do," she countered. "You waited for him for _8_ _years_, you still wear the necklace and engagement ring around your neck, you have that cross tattoo on your back. And now he's _here, _practically offering himself up to you on a platter and you won't take him back. And what's worse is that everyone knows that you will, it's just a matter of time. Why?"

I sighed and pulled myself up onto the counter. "Because."

"Wow. Have you been taking arguing lessons from Aiden?"

I scowled. "What am I supposed to do? Just be like, 'Oh ConCon, I forgive you! Everything's fine!' and forget the fact that he dropped off the map for 8 years? And why are you on his side?"

Ava snorted. "ConCon? Really?"

I rolled my eyes. "Because that was the most important part of what I just said."

Ava sighed. "Look, I get making him sweat for a bit, but now it's just counterproductive."

I frowned at her. "Even if I did want to get back together with Connor, which I'm not saying I do, but let's say in a hypothetical situation I did-"

"You're babbling," she interjected with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes. "Anyway, I do have a boyfriend named Stefano, remember? And I'm not a cheater."

She scoffed. "Please. Stefano versus Connor? No contest. And technically you and Connor never broke up, so if you're cheating on someone, you're cheating on Conn."

"Your logic makes no sense," I replied.

She shook her head. "Seriously, come on. What are you doing? I mean, I forgave Murphy."

I shot her a glare. "One, you have a kid with him. Two, Murphy didn't completely drop off the planet for _you_."

She grimaced. "Still mad about that?"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Not like we ever talked about it."

She sighed. "Look, it was a bad call. I should've told you."

"Yeah, you should've," I replied.

"I just... I was waiting for when you'd tell me that Connor called you and then I would tell you about Murph."

I rolled my eyes. "Dumbest defense I've ever heard. When was the first call?"

She thought for a moment, dipping her finger into the empty mixing bowl, scraping it along the side. "Umm... like 6 months after they left I think? Yeah, it was around that Christmas and not too long after Aiden was born," she told me, licking the batter off her finger.

My scowl deepened. "And then how often were the calls?"

"Every two months or so," she replied. "Plus holidays."

I shook my head. "I can't believe you never told me."

"I've told you I'm sorry. It's not like I can change it now."

Aiden walked over wielding the spoon at me. "All done."

I looked down at the little boy and smirked. "And what do you expect me to do about it? You know where the sink is. You live here."

He pouted. "I want more."

"Greedy little mongrel," I told him, ruffling his hair. "You'll get more when they're done baking."

Aiden pouted but walked over to Ava, sitting in the stool beside her.

Ava smirked. "And what do you think you're doing?"

He mimicked her pose, resting his chin in his hands. "I want to talk too!"

Ava and I laughed, the tension broken. "You better be careful, A. You might want Murphy to take him to target practice or something."

"He'll get bored with us quick, I'm not worried," she told me, poking him in the side, making him giggle.

"So where are you and Murphy going?" I asked, swinging my legs.

She shrugged. "Not sure, he just figured I needed 'grown up' time," she replied.

I wrinkled my nose. "And that's enough details for me."

She grinned mischievously. "I didn't say that's what we were doing, but one can hope."

"Gross," I replied, gagging slightly.

Aiden looked up at Ava. "What are you and dad doing mama?"

"We're going to play catch," she replied easily. I burst out laughing, almost falling off the counter.

"I wanna play!" Aiden squealed, making me laugh harder.

She shook her head. "Not this time, sweetheart," she replied before turning her attention to me. "I hope you suffocate," she told me.

I held my stomach, sliding off the counter to the floor still laughing, unable to reply.

Ava shook her head.

"Aunt Kher, are you okay?" Aiden asked, jumping off the stool and walking over to me.

I took a deep breath and wiped my eyes. "I'm fine, bubba," I told him, slightly out of breath. "Giggle fit." I grabbed him and pulled him onto my lap, tickling his sides. He squealed in delight trying to squirm away.

Ava rolled her eyes, but smiled. "You two will be the death of me," she said.

"At least you'll die laughing," I told her with a grin, pulling Aiden into a hug before letting him go. He slid out of my lap and sat beside me on the floor.

"Thank you again for staying with him," she told me.

I shrugged. "Not like I had other plans. And we're gonna have lots of fun, aren't we little man?" I held my hand up for a high-five.

He slapped. "Yeah!"

"Yeah!" I told him before turning to Ava with a grin.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Daddy's here!" Aiden screamed, pulling himself to his feet and running to the door, Ava on his heels.

"Aiden! You can't just open the door without knowing who it is!" she reprimanded. Her lecture fell on deaf ears as he yanked open the door.

"But I knew it was daddy!" he told her gleefully, wrapping his arms around Murphy's knees.

"Don' tink I'll e'er ge' used ta tha'," Connor commented as they both walked into the apartment.

Murphy chuckled and pulled Aiden off his legs, lifting him up. "'ow's et goin', lad?" he said affectionately.

"You're here!" Aiden cheered.

"I 'm tha'," Murphy replied with a grin before turning to Ava. "An' 'ow are ye?" he said leaning over and kissing her lightly.

"Better now," she replied with a smile.

Connor walked over to me and held out his hand. "Wha' are ye doin' dow' dere?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes and let him pull me to my feet, shoving him lightly when he tried to pull me closer. "I was relaxing. What are you doing here?"

He smirked.

"Oh, didn't I tell you?" Ava asked innocently, Murphy's left arm around her shoulders, Aiden in his right.

I looked at her suspiciously. "Tell me what?"

"Connor's gonna help you watch Aiden," she told me. "Could've sworn I told you that."

"He's WHAT!?" I shrieked.

Connor rubbed his ear. "A' leas' I sti' go' one ear, love," he complained.

"Aye, Kher, don' ye an' Conn owe me boy 'ere a playdate?" he asked, grinning mischievously.

"Yay! I get to play with Aunt Kher and Uncle Connor!" Aiden cheered, sliding out of his father's arm and running over hugging us both around the legs.

I clenched my teeth grinding my molars. "I hate each and every one of you," I hissed.

"Even me?" Aiden asked sadly.

I looked down at him. "No way, little man, I could never hate you."

Aiden grinned and held tighter to mine and Connor's legs, pulling us closer together.

"Have fun you three!" Ava called over her shoulder as she and Murphy ducked out of the apartment, shutting the door behind them.

I glared at Connor. "Was this your idea? Get the kid in on it?"

He looked at me innocently. "I 'ad no idea wha' dose two 'ad planned," he told me his eyes wide.

I rolled my eyes and glanced down at Aiden. "So little man. What are we doing?"

"Are the brownies ready?" he asked hopefully.

I peered in the stove. "Not yet, dude. About 20 more minutes and then they have to cool. And you can't eat those until we have some dinner."

"Mannnnnn," he whined, making Connor and I chuckled.

"So, wha's fer supper?" Connor asked.

"I dunno, co-pilot," I replied. "I'd say you figure it out considering I have dessert cornered."

He looked thoughtful for a moment before looking down at Aiden. "Wha' do ye tink, lad?" he asked.

"Pizza!" Aiden answered immediately.

Connor looked over at me. "Tha' wor'?"

I shrugged. "Ava will kill us but that's what makes us the 'cool' ones," I replied.

Connor grinned and looked at Aiden. "Den pizza et es!" he cried, bringing a cheer from Aiden. A thoughtful expression crossed his face.

"What?" I asked, leaning my hip against the counter.

"Where do I ge' et fro'?" he asked.

I looked at Aiden before looking back at Connor handing him the phone. "You order it," I replied.

Connor took the phone hesitantly. "We can' make et 'ere?"

"Only if you can make pizza magically appear," I replied.

"I ca' make oth' tings magically 'ppear," he replied a wicked grin on his face.

"Oh, gross," I replied, wrinkling my nose.

"Like what Uncle ConCon?" Aiden asked.

Connor slowly looked down at Aiden. "'m sorry, di' ye jus' call me... 'ConCon'?" he asked.

Aiden shrugged. "That's what Aunt Kher calls you when you're not around," he replied, clearly growing bored with the conversation as he walked away to the living room.

Connor smirked and lifted his eyes to mine. "Tal'in' 'bout me den?"

I rolled my eyes, feeling my face was red. "Will you just order the damn pizza while I keep the boy occupied?" I told him, walking to join Aiden in the living room.

* * *

"'ave ta say, Kher," Connor began, rubbing his stomach. "Yer cookin' 'as improved. Dose brownies were pair-fect."

I shrugged and tossed the last piece of my own dessert into my mouth. "They were pretty delicious," I replied. I looked down at Aiden. "So what now, bud?"

"Sandlot!" he cried, running over to the tv stand and grabbing the familiar DVD case. He ran it over to me and held it up.

"We watch this every time! Aren't you sick of it yet?"

He shook his head furiously. "It's the greatest movie EVER!" He turned to Connor. "Isn't it the greatest movie ever, Uncle Conn!?"

"Wouldn' know, lad. Ne'er see' et."

Aiden and I look at him in disbelief. "I'm sorry, what did you just say?" I asked.

Connor furrowed his brow. "Ne'er see' et."

I looked at Aiden. "Little man, we must educate this poor deprived man immediately."

Aiden handed me the DVD and jumped on Connor's lap.

"Oof!" Connor grunted as he was thrown deeper into the couch.

"Uncle Conn! How have you never seen it?!" Aiden screeched. I snorted back laughter at Connor's expression as Aiden practically vibrated with energy on his lap.

"Aiden, me boy, ye nee' ta cal' dow'," Connor told him, gently lifting him and setting him to the side.

"He's probably never seen it because it doesn't have Eastwood in it," I teased, kneeling in front of the DVD player.

"Wha' are ye sayin', lass?" Connor returned, narrowing his eyes at me playfully.

"I thought I was pretty clear. You only watch Eastwood movies."

Connor shook his head. "No' true. I also like Bronson an' Duke Wayne films."

I snorted. "Oh, please forgive my forgetfulness," I retorted, walking back to the couch and grabbing the remote.

Aiden looked up at him wide eyed. "Who are they?"

He looked down at the little boy appalled. "Wha' do yer ma an' Kher le' ye watch tha' ye don' know Eastwoo' and Bronson? Or e'en th' Duke?"

I rolled my eyes, paging through the dvd menus to start the movie. "We let him watch _good_ movies," I told him, giving him a smirk.

Connor shook his head. "Tha's jus' wron'."

"Sandlot is the greatest movie ever, Uncle Conn, you'll see," Aiden promised.

"We will jus' 'ave ta see 'bout tha' won' we?" Connor replied, giving the little boy a wink and a nudge.

"Okay, both of you, shhh..." I told them. "It's starting," I said pulling my knees up to my chin and wrapping my arms around them.

Aiden sunk into the couch, leaning against me while Connor draped his arm around the back of the couch behind the both of us.

* * *

"Alrigh'," Connor said as the credits started to roll. "Ye bo' were righ'. Tha' wa' goo'."

"Told you," I told him quietly, glancing down to see Aiden was fast asleep, passed out against my side.

Connor raised an eyebrow. "Though' et wa' 'is favorite," he commented, his voice low.

I shrugged. "Guess he was tired. We're just too much fun for him. And it's not like he hasn't seen it before."

"Shoul' we pu' 'im ta bed, den?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Probably best. His bed is more comfortable than me."

"No' sure ef tha's true," Connor replied with a smirk as he carefully lifted the little boy to his chest. "Where's 'is roo'?"

I flushed slightly and nodded my head across the apartment. "That one."

He nodded and carried Aiden into the room. I couldn't help the smile that spread over my face, watching them. I shook my head and stood up, moving to clean off the remains of our food. I glanced up when Connor's _VERITAS_ tattoo came into view, grabbing a plate.

"You don't have to help," I told him, walking to the kitchen.

"Team effor'," he replied, following after me.

We worked together quietly until everything was put or thrown away.

"So, tha' wasn' so ba', wa' et?" Connor asked, leaning his back against the counter.

"I guess not," I admitted. "I mean, you're not the _worst_ company I've ever had."

He laughed. "Su' 'igh praise."

I shrugged and pulled myself onto the counter across from him. "He's a good kid though," I said, pressing my palms down on either side of me, leaning forward a bit.

"Yer goo' wit' 'im," he told me.

"He makes it easy," I replied with a smile.

"Ye e'er tink ye mi' 'ave any?" he asked.

I scoffed. "I like giving them back," I told him.

He responded with a chuckle.

"He's really taken to you," I admitted.

"Li' ye sai', 'e makes et easy," he replied with a grin.

"I would ask if you'd have any, but..." I trailed off.

"Me li' ain' exa'ly goo' fer a babe," Connor finished.

I shrugged.

"I alway' though' maybe I'd be a Da," he told me honestly, moving to stand beside me, leaning against the counter. "Tink tha' ship may 'ave sailed, though."

I shrugged and looked down. "You never know what the future holds," I told him.

"Tha' es true. Can' do et be meself, though," he murmured, glancing over at me.

I cleared my throat. "Where's Romeo tonight?" I asked, changing the subject.

Connor exhaled a breath, crossing his arms over his chest. "Plannin' our nex' 'it, I woul' guess."

"Which will be?"

He glanced over at me. "No' sure ye wan' ta know tha'," he replied.

I swallowed. "You're going after Yakavetta?" I asked, my stomach dropping.

He didn't answer, which was answer enough.

I sat up straight and turned towards him. "Conn, you can't."

He turned towards me quickly, his hip resting against the lip of the counter. "Ye jus' called me Conn," he remarked in surprise.

I sighed. "Just because I'm still mad, doesn't mean I don't care," I told him quietly.

Connor nodded slowly. "Well, are ye tellin' me I can' go aft' Yakavetta 'cause ye care 'bout me," he asked. "o' 'cause o' yer... boyfriend?" He spat the last word as if it left a bad taste in his mouth.

I bit my lower lip. The truth was, I was only concerned about him... but telling him that... I didn't know if I was ready to finally forgive him. I looked down at my leg, weighing my options, turning away from him.

"Kher..." he murmured.

I kept my head down, but felt him move in front of me, his hands resting on either side of me. He moved between my legs, moving his hand to my chin forcing him to meet his gaze. I swallowed audibly, a shiver running over me as I met his blue eyes. "I really don't want to be mad at you anymore," I whispered, my lower lip caught between my teeth.

Connor moved his hand to cup my cheek, bringing his other hand to move a lock of hair behind my ear. He cupped my other cheek, holding my face gently. I brought my hands to hold his wrists, our eyes still locked. My breathing became shallow as he moved his mouth closer to mine. I felt his hands gently pull me closer…

"What are you doing?"

Connor leapt away from me in surprise as I jerked back, hitting my head on the cabinet. "Ow," I whimpered, rubbing the back of my head.

Connor turned to face Aiden. "Though' ye were sleepin', lad," he remarked, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'm thirsty," Aiden told him, rubbing his fist in his eye.

"Alrigh'," Connor replied. He looked around the kitchen.

I leaned to the side, reaching behind me to open the cabinet and grab a cup. I held it out to Connor. "Just give him some water," I told him.

He nodded and filled the cup from the tap, thrusting it into the little boy's hand. "'ere," Connor said.

"Thanks, Uncle Conn," Aiden said with a smile and a yawn.

"Yer lucky ye 'ave th' MacManus char' an' goo' looks," Connor mumbled, ruffling his hair. "Le's ge' ye ba' ta be'." He glanced over his shoulder at me. "We aren' do', ye'," he told me, lightly pushing Aiden towards his room, shutting the door behind them.

I sighed and leaned my head against the cabinet, closing my eyes.

KNOCK KNOCK

I glanced towards the door and sighed, pushing myself off the counter. I walked to the door and looked out the peephole. "Oh, shit," I muttered under my breath.

* * *

**AN2:**

Megan: Well, thank you kindly! I love that you love them and that you love them enough to review! And I don't know about that, but I do appreciate the fact that you like my writing! I'm glad the accent works for you! I really wasn't fishing for compliments or anything, I just want to give reader's what they want! Yeah, I've been kinda dropping breadcrumbs with what Kher is doing but it's not all completely revealed. There's more to come. This is my attempt at not strictly romance. Hope it's working, ha. But again, thank you thank you thank you! I don't think I can say it enough! Hope you stick around and continue to review because I love reviews. Makes me feel like I'm doing something right!

Alessandra: Oh, you! Kher never stopped liking him, she's just stubborn, haha. And I mean... who could resist Connor for long? Let's be real. Yeah, dropped a little bit of a bomb. And we shall see what will happen when it comes to Stefano vs. MacManus twins. And I like to complicate things... just a smidge, haha. And yeah, Connor's special, but Kher doesn't discriminate, haha. I really liked the picture scene. I just thought it was cute. And YES! Really Connor and Murphy!? Let's get that DONE, STAT! Connor and rope are seriously OTP. I love your reviews, I always giggle and do a little dance when they arrive. Love you forever! ;-)

Beth: No worries, you didn't mess it up for me. I'm just gonna sit there the next time I watch and go "STRONGER ACCENTS BOYS! INACCURACY!". And yes, reviews get me all excited and then I start fiending for more so I know I have to post if I want one (or 8). Connor loves Kher, even with all her stubbornness and even though he's a total boy most of the time (which is part of the reason we love him, right?). I'm glad my portrayal works for you! Sometimes I get nervous that I get the boys a little OOC, but you would tell me, right? And I try not to make the story too dialogue heavy because I know people (myself included) don't like it and it doesn't really work. I hope I have a balance. AHHHH! I don't mind rambling, I clearly do the same. And nothing wrong with smileys! :) :) :)

Lucy: I was sitting and waiting for your review. I was going through who had and was just like "Where's Lucy!" I'm so ecstatic that you love this! You legit make my ego swell, haha. And you're gonna get a tidbit of what Kher's tat is and mayyyyybe it will be described a bit more... ;-) So, yes, share you're! And I know your game! Since you don't have a account, I have to talk to you on here to get you fb info... so that meant I had to post a chapter... TRICKY TRICKY! But yes, ma'am I do have a facebook. I would link it but naturally I can't on , so look me up by Destiny 'DeDe' Hartman (hope no one stalks me, haha) and let's be besties because you seem pretty fabulous as well. And thank you for letting me know about the accents! It will stay. You are wonderful and I'll be waiting for a friend request, haha.


	10. Think Twice

**Author's Note:** Yup, me again. I don't think I even give you guys time to let the last chapter settle before posting another one. Questions will start to be answered here. I hope it works. Thank you to all that read/review/fave/alert. It makes my day! And in turn makes me post way too quickly! Huge thanks to... **"Megan", BlueMoonSaint, iforgiveyou, gurl3677, Conspicuously Shrouded, "Lucy", "Anonnie", "Alessandra", SilverMoonlit, Valerie E. Mackin, "Beth"**... Best ever.

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Think Twice is Eve6. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 10 (Think Twice)**

"_When all is said and done and dead... does he love you the way that I do? Breathing in lightning, tonight's for fighting... I feel the hurt so physical..."_

I yanked the door open. "What are you doing here?" I asked in surprise.

Stefano leaned against the doorframe and gave me a smile. "That's all I get?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No, of course not. You just surprised me, that's all." He pulled me into a hug and lightly brushed his lips over mine. I forced a smile and stepped back. "How'd you know I was here?" I asked, cringing internally as he made his way into the apartment.

"You weren't home and when you're not there you tend to be here," he replied. "Not used to it being so quiet."

"Ava's on a date and Aiden's asleep," I replied, my eyes darting towards Aiden's door that was still closed. "How about I call you when Ava gets back and I'll meet up with you when I leave?"

Stefano raised an eyebrow. "You alright? You seem a little… jumpy."

I shrugged. "Hyped on sugar, you know how Aiden is."

He gave a nod. "I would've expected you to be a little happier to see me considering I haven't been around much. Seems like you're trying to get rid of me."

"Stef, I am happy to see you, I just don't want you to be stuck here while I'm baby-sitting. I know that's not your thing."

Stefano walked over to me and wrapped his arms around my waist. "If you're here, I can handle it. And the kid's asleep, right?" he asked with a grin, leaning in.

"Wha' th' fuck es dis?"

Stefano glanced over his shoulder and I shut my eyes, wishing it was all a dream. When I opened my eyes, Stefano had his back to me and Connor was standing outside of Aiden's room, his hands clenched at his sides, his body tense with anger.

"Who the fuck are you?" Stefano asked.

I took a deep breath and moved in front of Stefano. "Alright, how about we all calm down for a minute?" I offered.

Stefano narrowed his eyes at me. "Thought you were alone watching Aiden."

"I never said that," I replied.

"But you _conveniently_ left out that you had help from whoever the hell that is," he growled, pointing at Connor.

"Don' tal' ta 'er like tha'," Connor snarled, stepping forward.

"I'll ask you again," Stefano hissed. "Who. The. Fuck. Are. You."

"Th' ma' who's 'bout ta kick yer ass, ye fuckin' wop," Connor growled. "Dat enou' o' a intra-fuckin-duction?"

"What the hell did you just call me?" Stefano barked, taking a step closer.

They inched towards each other and I put my hands on each of their chests, forcing them apart. "You two need to stop this," I told them, shoving them lightly.

Connor's eyes narrowed. "I though' I didn' like 'im befer, bu' no' I really question yer choice, Kher," he remarked.

Stefano's eyes narrowed as well. "Kherington, who the hell is this Irish fuck?"

I thanked the heavens that Stefano wasn't managing to put everything together to figure out exactly who Connor was. "He's a friend, okay? Just a friend."

Connor looked at me, a look of betrayal flashing through his eyes. I shook my head lightly.

"Acting like he's more than that to me," Stefano hissed, his hand grabbing my wrist off his chest, his fingers digging into the skin.

"Stefano calm down," I told him, pulling at my wrist. "Let me go and we'll talk, okay?

"Who the fuck is he?" Stefano snarled, pulling me closer.

"Are ye fuckin' daft? I jus' fuckin' tol' ye," Connor growled and I felt him approach, the heat from his body on my back. "An' th' lass tol' ye ta le' 'er th' fuck go."

"'ow 'bout ye min' yer own fuckin' business?" Stefano snarled, mocking Connor's brogue.

"Oh, God," I whimpered as I felt Connor tear me out of Stefano's grip, shoving me behind him. I watched in horror, almost in slow motion as Connor brought his fist back and throw it forward, slugging Stefano in the eye. He stumbled back, his hand moving to his eye. His expression turned murderous as he looked at Connor through his good eye, his mouth curled into a snarl. "Omigod! Stop!" I shrieked as Stefano charged Connor, knocking him on his back as they fell onto the coffee table, shattering it. Stefano moved to get a punch into Connor's jaw, but Connor blocked the hit and managed to roll Stefano to his back, pinning him to the floor. I looked up at the door as it opened, my eyes wide. Murphy and Ava were laughing but that quickly stopped when they saw what was happening.

"What the fuck is going on!?" Ava shrieked as Murphy came forward to separate the men. Connor was punching Stefano in the face, his knuckles coming away smeared with blood. Stefano had his arms up attempting to block each hit while trying to get in some of his own. Murphy grabbed his brother around the waist and hauled him off the Italian.

"Fuckin' le' me go!" Connor barked, thrashing in his brother's arms, trying to break his grip.

"No' dis time, brudder," Murphy muttered, dragging him out the door.

Stefano slowly pulled himself to his feet, blood dripping from his nose, his eye already swelling.

"Stef-"

Stefano held up his hand, cutting my off. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his nose, shoving the cloth into his pants pocket. Without a word, he stalked out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him.

Ava looked at me wide eyed. "What the hell just happened?" she asked, looking around the apartment, making sure it was all in order. She frowned at the sight of her splintered coffee table and moved to start cleaning it up.

"I don't know…" I told her, bending down and picking up pieces of wood. "Everything was fine and then Stefano showed up and Connor got pissed and then they were fighting and then you and Murphy showed and omigod this could be really bad."

"Breathe," she told me, her fingers gently touching my wrist. "Just breathe."

I took a deep breath and exhaled. "I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "You're just lucky Aiden's a heavy sleeper. He didn't need to see that."

I ran a hand through my hair. "I'll help you clean this up and then I need to get back to my apartment," I told her.

She nodded. "That's probably a good idea."

* * *

I stood outside my apartment building as the cab pulled away from the curb. I wasn't sure what to expect. Would Connor be upstairs? Stefano? Neither? Both? I took a deep breath and entered the building. Walking through the lobby, I waved absently at the concierge. I bided my time, checking my mailbox and stood beside it sifting blindly through my mail. Bill... bill... catalogue... bill... junk... I exhaled a breath when I realized I had wasted enough time. I moved past the elevator bay and walked to the stairwell. I open the door and slowly made my way up the stairs, dread weighing down on me with each step. I finally reached my floor and pushed the door open, dragging my feet, approaching my apartment. I paused outside the door, struggling to hear if anyone was inside. Silence. With shaking hands I lifted my key and slid it into the knob, turning the lock. I pushed the door open and walked inside, turning to shut and lock it. I closed my eyes, leaning my forehead against the painted wood.

"Took you long enough to get back."

I slowly turned around to face Stefano, meeting his eyes. I bit my lower lip as I took in his appearance. His normally perfect hair was askew. His nose needed to be reset and had the shadows of bruising. His eye was puffy and taking on a black and blue hue. A blood vessel in the white of his eye had burst, making it a deep red color. His bottom lip was split and swollen. Drops of blood stained the collar of his pristine white button up.

I tossed my keys on the table beside the door. "Wasn't sure you'd be here," I replied quietly. I cautiously approached him and stopped a just barely in arm's reach. "You alright?"

He laughed without humor. "Do I fuckin' look alright to you?" he snapped.

"You should put some ice on it," I told him, walking to the freezer and grabbing a bag of frozen peas. I made my way back to him and held out the vegetable. He snatched it from my hand and hissed as he pressed it to his face.

"I would say thank you, but it seems I have more than enough things to thank you for tonight," he told me bitterly, sitting on the couch, leaning his head back.

I walked over and sat in the recliner. "You should have called," I told him.

He shot me a look. "Why should I have called you? So you had enough time to get rid of him? Keep pulling the wool over my eyes? Keep cheating on me with that Irish prick?"

I sighed and shook my head. "I haven't been cheating on you."

"Oh? So who the fuck was he? And don't give me that cock and bull story that he's 'just a friend'," he snapped at me, complete with air quotes.

I shrugged. "I don't know what else to tell you. He's just an old friend of mine and Ava's and he happens to be in town. He was helping me watch Aiden, that's all."

He narrowed his eyes and stared at me in heavy silence for a few moments before he leaned forward, tossing the bag onto the coffee table. "How _stupid_ do you think I am?" he snarled.

I shook my head. "I don't think you're stupid, Stefano."

He scoffed. "Please. If you didn't think that you would come up with a better fuckin' story than some old friend. Granted, you've never exactly lied well, so I shouldn't expect it."

I gave him a look. "What does that mean?"

"Kherington, I knew the minute that arrogant little shit opened his mouth who he was," Stefano spat at me.

"Oh really? Then who is he exactly?" I asked, my voice calm, but inside I could feel my stomach tying into knots.

"You don't think I know what those fuckin' Saints look like? What they _sound_ like?" he hissed. "You don't think I know who _you_ are?"

I swallowed thickly and shook my head. "You're mistaken."

"Oh, fuck off Kherington. Do you forget what I'm a part of? What I _do_? You think you and me, that was just some wild coincidence?" He scoffed. "Knowing you, that probably is what you think."

I took a deep breath, attempting to keep my cool. "Why are you telling me this? Why now?"

Stefano smirked, crossing his legs and folding his hands over his knee. "Because I don't want you to keep thinking you can play me for a fool. You're not the only one that came into this with ulterior motives and separate… how should I say… goals?"

I bit my lower lip. "Care to elaborate?"

He gave me a look. "So you think you're smart enough to orchestrate this whole plot to bring us down with Boston PD, but you can't even think for yourself to figure out what I'm saying? And yes, I'm aware of your arrangement you have with those three moron detectives as well."

"I'm just interested in what you have to say, that's all," I told him quietly.

He rolled his eyes. "I watched you for a long time, Kherington. The night we met wasn't the first time I saw you. Not by a long shot."

I felt a shiver of fear run down my spine. "What?"

A smirk spread over his face. "I think you can figure out when I first had the pleasure of seeing you. I'll give you a hint… it was back in June of 1999…"

I whipped my head up to look at him. "What?" I breathed.

He chuckled. "You figure it out I assume?"

"You were there…"

He moved off the couch and stood over me, his hands resting flat on the arms of the recliner. "Of course I was there. Yakavetta _was_ my uncle."

I choked on my breath. "Omigod…" I muttered. "I'm going to be sick."

"I remember seeing you there like it was yesterday," he continued as if I hadn't spoken. "Those two and their father bursting in spouting their ridiculous speech… you and your little friend watching them as if you were watching your two war heroes go into battle." He rolled his eyes as he leaned in closer to me. "Would've been quite the moment if it wasn't so pathetic," he hissed.

I didn't reply, my eyes stuck on him as I pressed myself deeper into the recliner trying to keep him from touching me.

"Oh, now you have nothing to say?" he snarled. "You're usually so quick with a retort." He shoved himself away from me and I exhaled a quiet sigh of relief. "So… why not just go after them? What did you need with me?" I asked.

He cocked his head to the side. "C'mon, Kherington, you can figure it out. It's not enough to just bring down the infamous Saints of Boston. It's better to get them where it hurts first."

"I don't follow."

His eyes sparkled with malice. "Think about it. Ideally, you want to separate them. You can really get them if you attack the other. But that's too obvious and honestly, next to impossible. But then there's you and Ava. Their other weakness because you're all just so 'in love'. And you made it so easy. You practically fell into my lap."

"So?" I asked. "What did all this get you?"

"The Saints back on our turf, of course," he replied.

I shook my head. "That went really well the last time. And they were amateurs then."

Stefano waved his hand, brushing off my remark. "We're ready for them. And the fact that you're in our crosshairs makes at least one weak which in turn weakens the whole."

I bit my lower lip. "So what are you going to do?"

He grinned. "I'm leaving that part up to Concezio. All I had to do was bring you in. And I appreciate you being so willing and making my job so easy. No matter what your motives would've been. You may be a terrible actress and an even worse liar, but you do commit to the part," he told me, a leer on his face.

I could feel my heart racing, my stomach turning in disgust and shame. "And why do you think I care what happens to him? Or his brother? I mean, it was a really long time ago."

He snorted. "Please. You can act however you want, anyone with half a brain knows you've been pining over that waste of space for years. And with one comes the other."

I swallowed and blinked rapidly. I'd been played. This whole time. I felt like my entire world was crumbling around me.

Stefano sneered. "You're fucking pathetic." He stood from the couch. "At least you served your purpose," he told me, moving to his feet. I stiffened as he bent closer, his mouth at my ear. "Only a matter of time now," he breathed before making his way out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

**AN2:**

Megan: I love Aiden! He's just so cute. Baby MacManus, haha. I hope the suspense wasn't too much to take and it's now relieved!

Lucy: Besties! I may (emphasis on the MAY, I don't want to make any promises) write a companion piece with the Ava-Murphy side of things, but it would take me some time. I'm just so sunk into the Kher-Conn that it would be really hard. So I'm not saying I won't but I don't want to lie and say I will if it doesn't happen. Yeah, ConKher need to get it done already, haha. ;-) \

Anonnie: I know, I'm a jerk, cliffy! I'm glad you liked the chapter, even if you didn't like the cliffhanger, haha. I try to throw in a little lightheartedness every now and then! Can't be drama and fighting and sappiness all the time, haha. I'm so glad you look forward to updates and take the time to review. It makes this so fun for me! :)

Alessandra: The walls are comin' down! ConKher may finally reunite! Haha, you make me laugh. And I have to respond! You take the time to give awesome reviews! And I'm ready to create MacManus brothers! I mean, I could "settle" for either, but I have to be honest, Connor will always have my heart. :) :) :) Love you!

Beth: Bahahaha, amazing. Um, the movies are so epic and you need to fix that! Yes, I'm a total Connor girl myself. I love Murphy and believe me, I wouldn't say no, but given the choice? Connor. Every. TIME! And I totally support you introducing the epic Connor MacManus that way, haha. I know, Aiden interrupted. Silly kids! At least we're getting somewhere! I love that even though you "knew" who was at the door, you still didn't "know". :) Makes me feel like I did something right. And I love the smiley face, exclamation point SPAM. Bring it ON! And I don't mean to update so fast, I really don't. But (1) I really hate when stories aren't updated for like 3 years or get abandoned and (2) reviews are seriously like crack. I just want to keep getting review notifications. I'm like a drug addict!


	11. Secrets

**Author's Note:** In honor of the fact that I hit a record number of readers yesterday (seriously, I check like it's going out of style) and a record number of reviews (we're about to pass the number that MTGOF got! AHHHH!), I thought I'd post a chapter. Yeah, I know, I could find any excuse to post. Oh well. Thank you as always to all that read/review/fave/alert. Best! Best! Best! Biggest thanks to... **BlueMoonSaint, gurl3677, iforgiveyou, "Anonnie", SilverMoonlit, "Beth", Conspicuously Shrouded, "Megan", SaraLostInes** (welcome back!)**, "Lucy", Valerie E. Mackin, coffee-ink-fire, "Alessandra"**... Can't even handle you guys.

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Secrets by OneRepublic. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 11 (Secrets)**

"_Tell me what you want to hear... something that will light those ears... sick of all the insincere... so I'm gonna give all my secrets away..."_

I ran down the sidewalk, my feet pounding against the cement, blindly shoving past people as they shuffled along aimlessly. "Connor, Connor, Connor," my brain kept repeating. I had to get to him, I had to make him leave before it was too late. I inhaled a shaky breath and slammed my hands into the wall of McGinty's, coming to a stop. I turned and leaned against the side of the bar, sliding to the ground to catch my breath and slow my thoughts.

"Kher, d-d-d-d-d-d-dear g-g-g-g-g-girl, are you alr-r-r-r-r-right?"

I looked up through blurry vision to see Doc staring down at me, his owl-like eyes filled with concern. I forced a shaky smile. "Hi, Doc," I rasped. "Are the boys here?"

He nodded his head and held out his hand, which I gladly took, pulling myself to my feet. I followed him into the bar and he pointed towards the storage room. "Th-th-th-th-they sh-sh- they're up there," he told me.

I nodded. "Thank you, Doc," I told him, kissing him on the cheek. I took a deep breath and climbed the stairs, pausing outside the door. I could hear the hushed tones of Connor and Murphy's brogues and the gentle clinking of liquor bottles. I gently knocked on the door and waited. The room went silent. I listened as the soft shuffle of footsteps approached the door. The lock clicked and the door was slowly pulled open to reveal Romeo. He gave me a look of surprise. "Chica, what are you doin' here?"

I glanced past him to see Connor and Murphy setting their handguns back on a table, their eyes on me. I swallowed and turned back to Romeo. ""I was hoping I could talk to Connor for a few minutes." I looked up, meeting his eyes. "In private."

Connor raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest. "Ye alrigh' girl?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Just need to talk to you. Can I come in?"

Romeo stepped to the side to let me pass. Murphy walked over and folded me in a hug. When he pulled back I looked at him in surprise. "Um, what was that for?"

He gave me a grin. "Looked like ye needed et," he replied. "Ye alrigh'?"

I forced a smile. "Just need to talk to Conn."

He nodded and looked at Romeo. "'ey Rome, le' me go show ye dat whiskey's bet' den tequila."

Romeo scoffed. "Bullshit, compadre," he retorted as Murphy shoved his way out the door. "Tequila wins! Viva la Mexico!" he hollered, pulling the door shut behind him.

I turned back to Connor to see him studying me carefully. "You mad at me?" I asked quietly.

He shook his head, leaning a hip against the table beside him. "No' ma', no. Mea', we're jus' 'friends', righ'? Wha' do I 'ave ta be ma' 'bout?"

I sighed. "What did you want me to say? I was trying to diffuse the situation."

He rubbed his hands over his face and looked at me. "Nothin'. Et doesn' matter. Why ye 'ere?"

"You and Murphy… you need to leave," I told him quietly, taking a seat in a dusty chair across the room.

He raised an eyebrow. "Why's dat den?" he asked.

"He knows, Connor," I replied.

"Knows wha'?"

I rolled my eyes. "Who you are."

He smirked and grabbed a bottle of scotch from the table, taking a swig. "Goo', den maybe dat will scare 'im. Le' 'im know 'e fucked wi' th' wron' ma'."

I shook my head furiously. "No, Connor. You need to _leave_. You need to take your brother and _run_."

He hesitated. "Kher, wha' es et? Ye almos' loo'… ye loo' terrified, lass."

I swallowed. "Connor, if you go after them the way you and Murph usually do… that's what they _want_. That's what they're _ready _for."

He slowly crossed the room, stopping a foot in front of me. "Wha' are ye talkin' 'bout?" he asked, his tone soft.

I took a deep breath. "You were right. I wasn't with Stefano because I loved him. If anything… quite the opposite."

A look of confusion settled over his features. "I don' ge' et… wha' do ye mea'?"

I exhaled and slipped my feet out of my shoes, pulling my knees to my chin. "Connor, you left… and it just felt like my world stopped…" I looked up at him and met his gaze. "I never planned to fall in love… and I really didn't expect it to be with someone like you."

"Ye tryin' ta make me feel ba' girl?" he asked, leaning against the pool table across from me.

I shook my head. "No, I'm trying to make you understand." I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I never thought that I would be so wrapped up in someone that when it was over… well, it felt like a piece of me was dead… and I really didn't know if I'd get over you…"

**FLASHBACK**

"Kherington! Get your ass up!"

I groaned from under the covers. "Leave me alone," I grumbled, pulling the comforter tighter over my head.

I winced as sunlight hit my face when Ava pulled the blanket off of me, tossing it to the floor. "What the fuck are you doing?" I growled, blindly reaching for the comforter without opening my eyes.

"You look like shit," she snapped.

I opened one eye, squinting up at her. "Thank you. Now leave me alone."

"No, I'm through coddling you. It's been over a month. I've let you pout."

"I'm not pouting," I snapped, grabbing my pillow and shoving it over my head.

I could almost hear the eyeroll. "Fine. Grieving, wallowing, whatever the hell you're doing, it stops today," she told me.

"Will you please go away?" I mumbled into the pillow. I swung at her as she ripped the pillow away.

"Kherington, if you don't get your ass out of this bed, I will yank you out of it."

I finally opened my eyes and looked at her. "He's gone, Ava," I whimpered, tears stinging my eyes.

"I know that. He's gone. So is Murphy. That means our lives stop? No. It means we continue on. We're not the first ones this has happened to," she told me matter-of-factly.

I glared at her. "Right. Everyone has that one vigilante boyfriend that has to leave town without a word. Totally normal. You think they have support groups for this sort of thing? Since you're trying to tell me it happens _all_ the time?"

Ava sighed, laying her hand on her stomach and sitting down. "Look, Kher. I know it's impossibly hard. If anyone does, it's me, okay?"

I felt my bottom lip tremble. "I know," I rasped, staring at the ceiling.

"But you and I both know they would have stayed if they could have," she urged.

"Why didn't he ask me to come with him?"

Ava sighed. "Because he couldn't. And even if he could, he wouldn't have wanted to put you in a position that you had to make that choice."

I wiped my hands over my face and forced myself to sit up. "I just…I just miss him. Hell, I miss them both. And Rocco. I feel like they were just ripped away from us."

She nodded. "I know... believe me I do. But, I really need you to pull yourself together."

I sighed and looked down. "I just need a little more time."

I saw her shake her head out of my peripheral. "No, you need to get your act together _now_. I'm really going to need you in a couple months."

I looked up at her, my eyebrow raised. "What are you talking about?"

Ava chuckled. "Kher... I'm pregnant."

**END FLASHBACK**

Connor met my eyes, his head tilted to the side. "Tha's 'ow ye foun' ou' 'bou' Aiden?"

I nodded. "It seemed to be the push I needed, at least to go through the motions. I could ignore the fact that my heart was broken if I threw myself into taking care of her. I mean, Ava didn't have anybody else here and we had no clue how to get in touch with you guys. So, it was just me and her. I went to every appointment, every class, every shopping trip. We scoured baby name books and care books. You would've thought I was the father the way I was with her. When she went into labor in the middle of the night, I was right there." I smiled at the memory. "And I was the first one that got to hold the little guy. He came out screaming, ready to fight. Typical of a MacManus, right? Looked just like Murphy, except his skin was darker, his eyes a little rounder. Eyes a bit like yours actually."

Connor gave me a half-smile. "Wi' we coul' 'ave bee' dere," he murmured.

I sighed. "Me too. I won't lie, it made me miss you both even more. It was almost like ripping the band-aid off all over again."

"So, wha' doe' tha' 'ave ta do wi' no'?" he asked gently.

"I'm getting there." I took a deep breath and brought my knees to my chin. "As Aiden got older, it got harder and harder to move on from the two of you. I mean... he looked _so_ much like Murphy and even you... it just killed me. I love Aiden… I love that little boy like he's my own and I hated that sometimes I had to lock myself in a room and cry over something that wasn't his fault."

"Kher..."

I held up my hand. "You wanted to know everything, I'm trying to tell you."

He sighed and gestured for me to continue.

"So, right around Aiden's 6th birthday, I decided I had to stop. You and Murphy weren't coming back. Whatever we had was gone and over. I had to move on and I just had to stop waiting for you. So I decided to go out and have one last 'hurrah' if you will, say my good-byes..."

**FLASHBACK**

"What can I get you?"

I glanced up at the bartender and forced a smile. "Four shots of Bushmills?"

The bartender raised an eyebrow but reached under the bar. "Interesting choice," he told me, setting the bottle on the bar, grabbing four shot glasses.

"Meaning?" I asked, watching as he filled the glasses with the golden liquid.

"Don't get many orders for it in this part of the city," he replied. "Usually wonder why we still carry the stuff."

"A... friend introduced me to it," I replied sadly, glancing up at him.

He gave me an understanding smile and pushed the shot glasses towards me. "You wanna start a tab or pay for these up front?"

I held out my credit card. "Tab. And you might as well leave the bottle. I have a feeling we're going to be getting pretty friendly."

"Rough night?"

I laughed without humor. "Rough couple of years actually."

He took the card. "Need anything else?"

"Two pints of Guinness to chase? No way I can drain these without a chaser."

"You got it Ms..." He looked down at the card. "Harris. Comin' right up."

I smiled gratefully as he placed the card by the register before drawing up two pints of beer, setting them in front of me. "Just give a holler and let me know if you need anything else."

I nodded before throwing back the first shot, quickly grabbing the beer to chase it. The bartender looked at me amused. "Enjoy that?" he asked.

"Blech," I gagged. "That stuff is still awful."

"So why are you drinking it?"

I threw back the next shot, cringing as it went down, followed closely by the third. "Long story that I'm trying to forget. It started with this, figured it was only fitting to end it the same."

"Fair enough," he replied before walking to the other end of the bar.

I sighed and took a gulp of the Guinness, swishing it in my mouth. I swallowed before picking up the next shot, tossing it back.

"Well, I was gonna offer to buy you a drink, but it seems you have it covered."

I glanced to my right as a tall Italian slid into the seat next to me, unbuttoning his suit jacket. I looked him over, taking in his appearance. Tall and thin, classic Italian good looks, well dressed in what looked like an Armani suit.

"Yeah, I think I'm good," I replied, tossing back my last shot before filling the glasses with the bottle and finishing my first pint. "Appreciate the attempted offer though."

"Buy your next round?" he asked.

I raised an eyebrow. "Like I said, I think I got it covered," I replied, my voice slightly slurred.

"Maybe you should pace yourself," he offered. "Seem to be going through that rotgut pretty quickly."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I'm sorry, Mr..."

"Stefano," he replied with an amused smile.

"Mr. Stefano, but who are _you_ to tell me to pace myself?" I asked before tossing back my fifth shot, this one finally going down easier.

He lifted his hands in surrender. "I mean no harm, I'm just curious how you expect to make it out of here on your own."

"I'll manage," I replied, blinking hard.

"Well, how about you tell me your name, just in case you need some help?"

I furrowed my brow and tried to find my thoughts. "Um, Kherington."

He nodded. "Well, alright, Kherington," he said as he stood. "Lovely to meet you. If you change your mind about that round or need a ride, I'll be right over there," he told me, pointing across the bar.

I gave him a quick fake smile. "Great."

He smirked before walking away, rebuttoning his suit.

**END FLASHBACK**

"So, tha's 'ow ye me' 'im?" Connor spat.

I sighed. "Can you please let me finish?"

He glowered at me, but stayed quiet. I took that as an indication to continue

**FLASHBACK**

I sighed and tossed back the shots at a pretty steady pace, my vision blurring and my mind becoming fuzzy. The room started to spin around the 10th shot and I laid my head down on the bar top trying to regain my bearings.

"Kherington? What the hell are you doing?"

I lifted my head, turning to my left. Detective Duffy stood there, staring at me in confusion. "Devective Fuddy," I slurred. "To what pleasure do I owe you?"

"My God, girl, how much have you drank?" he asked, sliding into the barstool. He reached over and grabbed the half empty bottle of whiskey. "Please tell you didn't do all this damage yourself," he muttered.

I grinned at him drunkenly, lifting my head as it wobbled on my shoulders. "Okay, I won't," I replied, falling over onto his shoulder.

He scoffed and shifted, working to bring me back to a sitting position. "What are you doing? Besides trying to drink yourself to death, of course."

"What is your name?" I asked, trying to figure out which of the three of him to focus on.

He sighed and motioned to the bartender. "Duffy, you know that."

"No, silly, your first name!" I exclaimed, pushing him lightly and almost falling off my stool from the force.

He grabbed my arm, hauling me back onto the stool and looping his arm around my waist to help me keep my balance. "It's Brian."

"Briiiiiii-and," I tested picking up my last shot.

"Close enough," he replied giving a nod to the bartender.

"Well, Briand, he's not comin' back," I slurred, before throwing back the drink and slamming the shot glass on the bar with more force than necessary.

Duffy shook his head and turned to the bartender. "2 coffees, black? Thanks. Oh, and maybe take that bottle away from her and close her tab." The bartender nodded with a smirk, clearing the bar top before moving to grab the requested coffees. Duffy turned his attention back to me. "And who's not coming back?"

"Connor Braedan MacManus and his brother, Murphy Liam MacManus," I replied slowly.

Duffy shot me a look. "Kherington, they've been gone for a while now…"

"I know thaaaat," I told him, rolling my eyes and pitching to the side. His hand tightened on my waist, straightening me up to keep me from falling. "But I am seriouth about it now. I am saying good-bye. Would you join to like me?" I asked, closing my eyes as the room began to swim around me.

He raised an eyebrow as the bartender set two steaming mugs in front of each of us before turning to close my tab. "Isn't this a conversation you should be having with Ava right now?" he asked, lifting the mug and taking a sip, wincing as it burned his throat. "Shit that's hot."

I shook my head, gripping the edge of the bar for balance. "She's with Aiden tonight," I told him seriously.

"Does she know what you're doing?" Duffy asked.

I shrugged. "I dunno." I looked up and grinned at the bartender as he set my receipt and a pen in front of me. "Thank you Mr. Bartender man! " I exclaimed. "You're cute. All 6 of you."

The bartender snorted. "I'm always pretty decent looking after a few drinks," he replied. He glanced over at Duffy. "Should we call her a cab or…?"

Duffy sighed and shook his head. "No, unfortunately I have this."

The bartender laughed and nodded, walking to the other end of the bar. I grabbed the pun and scribbled in a tip and a messy signature before pushing them forward.

Duffy glanced at the receipt. "You sure you want to leave him a $30.00 tip?"

I shrugged. "He's cute."

"Right…"

"But I have to pee," I told him, attempting to slide off the stool and crashing to the floor.

Duffy groaned in frustration before sliding off his own stool.

I giggled as I was pulled to my feet. "That kinda hurt," I whined, collapsing against the body behind me.

"I can take her from here," Duffy commented.

I looked up to see Duffy in front of me. "Waiiiiiiiiit, if you're there then who…?" I glanced over my shoulder to see Stefano smirking down at me.

"Told you that you'd probably need some help," he told me, passing me off to Duffy. "See you around," he said before disappearing into the crowd.

"Friend of yours?" Duffy asked, pulling my arm over his shoulders and dragging me out of the bar.

"Stefffffff-A-noooooo," I drawled.

"What's that?" Duffy asked, nodding his head towards the paper in my right hand as we stepped onto the sidewalk.

I brought the paper close to my face and unfolded it. I looked at it before passing it to him. "I can't see," I told him with a giggle.

Duffy rolled his eyes and leaned me against the trunk of his car before unfolding the paper. "In case you need a drinking buddy…Stefano… 617-414-7250."

"Weeeeeeeeeeeeee!" I squealed falling to the ground.

**END FLASHBACK**

"Alrigh'… den wha'?" Connor asked, clearly intrigued.

"Well, I woke up with probably the second worst hangover in my life and a note from Duffy to call him if I remembered anything from last night," I replied.

**FLASHBACK**

"Still alive?" Duffy asked in amusement.

"Ughhhhhhhhhh," I groaned in reply, holding my hand to my head, my phone on speaker on the pillow beside me. "I feel like I'm dying and I'm pregnant with an alien baby who's only means of escape is to eat its' way out of my stomach."

"Probably because you burned a hole in it," he replied easily.

"Whatever. Did you need something?"

"What do you remember?" he asked.

"It's a little blurry once we got to your car, but other than that I'm clear. And can you _please_ stop yelling?"

Duffy chuckled. "So you remember Stefano?"

I rolled my eyes and winced at the pain. "Are you trying to set me up or something? Not interested."

"I have a proposition for you," Duffy said.

I sighed.

"Kherington?"

"I'm listening."

"What have you heard about the mob?"

I groaned. "This seems like an awfully big conversation to have when I want to die."

"I'm serious, come on."

I sighed. "Well… apparently Yakavetta's son is coming up in the ranks according to the news," I replied, closing my eyes and massaging my temples.

"That's right."

"Alright, why do I care?"

Duffy chuckled. "Many reasons, but the one that I'm specifically referring to is the fact that you met one of his top dogs last night."

"Did I? How nice for me. I look forward to cement blocks on my feet and being thrown in the river."

Duffy scoffed. "You've watched too many old movies."

"Can you get to your point please? I think I need to hurl."

"How would you feel about going undercover for us to gather information?"

**END FLASHBACK**

* * *

**AN2:**

Anonnie: ::Cue superhero music:: Connor saves the day! I don't think good things are in store for Stefano. Not at all. Kher was so focused in her "double life" she didn't even dream that she was being played just as hard. And I know, so many cliffies. But I don't make you suffer that long! :) I will write as long as I have things to say. Little ideas keep popping up. I'm so flattered that you think I'm good at this. Seriously, thank you. I pretty much just had an idea and decided to run with it especially since I feel like Connor doesn't get enough love, haha. But wow, those are big words, I hope I continue to live up to them!

Beth: I love your reviews. You always have so much to say and it's AWESOME. And Connor is so divine. Gah. Yes, I have a friend like that as well. Keeps fights to a minimum. Haha. I think I have the better end of the deal. Haha, jk, I love Murph. Yeah, if I didn't have the support (that people like you give me) and the ideas that keep sprouting, I would have never posted, ha. Stefano is kind of an asshat. I really wanted him to be semi-likable. Oh well. Haha, I'm flattered you want to crawl into this story. Special guest! I would've liked to give a little more of Connor kicking ass, but I'm shit at action scenes. They just get redundant, haha. Keep your reviews coming and I totally support the length! :) :) :)

Megan: I know, Stefano. Awful. I figured I would have him just do some emotional and verbal tyranny for right now. No abuse. Oooo! I like that you had emotions going about it! Not in a mean way but I wanted it to have some sort of effect! And I love you! :)

Lucy: Hey girl heyyyy! :) I may give that a shot, like I said, no promises. I really wanted to give this a twist and make it that reader's didn't really know what to expect. I felt like with the first one, you kinda knew where it was going/where it had to go because I was following the storyline. With this one, I don't have those necessary constrictions, so I'm kinda playing with it, seeing where it can take me. I'm glad it seems to be working. Haha, I don't know how my version would fit into Duffy's. He likes having the boys doing boy things (which is fine, I love it). I know, Stefano made fun of ConCon. Not okay. I'm so glad you love this and you consistently review and now we're friends, haha. Boondock and story writing brings people together!

Alessandra: I had a feeling you were going to like this chapter because of your Stefano hatred, haha. I don't think Kher really has killer in her at this point. And I can't have him killed off right away! Then there would be no conflict! Although, you probably just want them to get together already and make lots of little Irish babies, haha. :) And we shall see if ConKher finally get together. Hmmmm... And girl no. I couldn't give responses if you didn't give me such epic and fun reviews, so it's all you! And I'm willing to share. How about this... we make schedules and we can switch off twins? That work? Haha. And as long as they know how to use it, I don't care who's older, haha. ;-)


	12. Sort Of

**Author's Note:** 100 reviews. Holy... I can't even handle. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Here's another chapter. I'm not sure how I feel about it but a big part is because a certain section is not one of my strengths (in my humble opinion). Oh well. I hope you guys like it! And if you don't, let me know how to improve. I can take constructive criticism... Thank you to all that read/review/favorite/alert. Seriously, it makes my day. I know I say it all the time, but it's just so awesome that you guys seem to like it and I would rather be redundant that not say thank you enough. Special thanks to... **"Lucy", "Anonnie", "Beth", gurl3677, Valerie E. Mackin, SilverMoonlit, iforgiveyou, BlueMoonSaint, coffeeinkfire, SaraLostInes, "Alessandra", "Megan"**... Your reviews are amazing, thank you.

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Sort Of is Ingrid Michaelson. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**MEHHHHHH!_ I feel like this is a spoiler and I HATE spoilers, but this cannot be helped... this chapter has MATURE CONTENT! If this is not your thing, you can skip the italicized section. Otherwise... enjoy (as I turn all red faced and giggly because I'm internally 12)._**

**Chapter 12 (Sort Of):**

"_And if I was stronger then I would tell you no... and if I was stronger then I would leave this show... and if I was stronger then I would up and go... but here I am and here we go again..."_

"Ye WHA'!?" Connor barked, making me wince.

I sighed. "He told me I'd be protected. I didn't think it was a big deal at the time. And I also didn't think it would last."

"So, ye were datin' dis bastar' fer kicks, tha' et?" Connor snarled at me, pushing himself away from the pool table and pacing in front of me.

"I wanted to do something… kinda like you and Murphy decided to start killing people," I shot back at him. "Figured I could make a difference that way."

Connor glared at me. "Murph an' I 'ave a callin' fro' th' Lord en 'eaven. Ye were 'orin' yeself ou' fer infermatio'."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "That's just fucking rude. I was not 'whoring' myself out, Connor. We were dating."

"Di' ye fuck 'im, Kher? 'Cause ef ye di' den ye were, 'specially ef ye didn' love 'im," he snarled at me.

I swallowed and shook my head. "You don't get to do this. You don't get to talk to me this way."

He gave me a look of disgust. "Di' ye sleep wi' 'im? Jus' answer me dat."

"I was in a relationship with the guy, Connor. And he's a man, what the hell was I supposed to do?" I replied.

He snarled and ran a hand through his hair as he continued to pace like a caged lion. "Why woul' ye do et? Yer bett' den dat. Leas' dat's wha' I though'. Maybe I wa' wron' 'bout ye. Maybe I don' kno' ye a' all."

I felt like I had been punched in the gut as I sucked in a breath, his words making me feel like he had hit me himself. "That's not fair," I murmured.

He shook his head. "Do ye tink so little o' yersel'? Dat ye woul' jus' lower yerself ta deir level? I mea' wha' th' fuck, Kherin'to?."

I felt my nostrils flare as I felt a wave of anger come over me. "You are a Goddamn hypocrite."

"Lord's fuckin' name," he snarled, pointing at me. "'ow am I a 'ypocrite?"

"Because you're allowed to interpret yer faith as you see fit, yet you stand there and judge me on my choices."

"Th' fuck does dat mea'?"

I scowled at him. "Last I checked 'Thou shalt not kill' was a commandment, _Connor_, yet, you do that. Having sex doesn't even make the top ten list."

His eyes widened and he stalked over to me, his hands clenched at his sides as he loomed over me, his face red with anger and his nostrils flaring. "Don' ye dare tal' ta me 'bout me faith, Kherin'to'," he growled, his voice dangerously low.

I stared up at him, my jaw clenched. ""Then don't call me names and insult me when I was just doing what I had to do."

He scoffed and stepped back. "Ye didn' 'ave ta do et. Ye tell yersel' dat ta make et alrigh'."

I viciously wiped a hand over my face. "Are you so pissed about it because you think I had sex with someone I didn't love or because I slept with someone at all?"

He looked down at his fists and didn't reply.

"You told me not to wait for you," I told him quietly. "You don't get to be mad when I listened to that. And I understand and respect the fact that you look at sex the way you do. But Conn… not everyone interprets those things the same way and you can't act like I committed this cardinal sin when I didn't."

Connor took a deep breath and lifted his head, his eyes meeting mine. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why di' ye do et? Why 'im? Why not wai' fer someone else?"

"Honestly? A big part of it was that he was your complete opposite. Not only physically, but mentally and emotionally. And Stefano's not a bad guy... or at least, I didn't think he was until today. He was a means to an end, yes, but I didn't mind him. I know you probably can't see it, but he's not a bad looking guy and we got along fairly well. I might not have loved him, but it wasn't like I didn't care about him. We were together over two years and I was doing a job, but sometimes it did feel real."

Connor shook his head and took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. "So, 'ow doe' dis lea' ba' ta me an' Murph?" he asked, still pacing, trying to stay calm.

"Stefano... he's been playing me as well..."

He stopped mid-stride and whipped his head up to look at me. "Wha'?"

I bit my lower lip. "He was using me to get to you and Murphy," I murmured.

"'ow do ye know dat?" he asked, his hands clenched at his side.

I explained the conversation Stefano and I had had maybe an hour before. "He was completely different from who I've known, Conn. I really…" I took a deep breath. "I'm scared," I simply said. "I have no idea what he has planned... for any of us."

He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Ye can' go 'ome, tha' mu' es clea'," he told me.

I nodded. "This is true… he has a key."

"I'll tal' ta Murph an' Rome. Ye will 'ave ta stay 'ere so we ca' keep an' eye o' ye."

"Okay… but I'm worried more about you," I told him. "You and Murph are who they want."

He scoffed. "I'll be fi'."

"Conn, he's obviously crazy."

He smirked. "All th' mo' fu' fer me, den," he replied.

"Conn! This isn't a game!" I exclaimed, jumping to my feet.

He faced me and walked over until he was inches away, our noses touching, his eyes boring into mine. "I kno' et's no' a game," he growled. "Ye shoul' 'ave realized dat years 'go."

"I never considered it a game," I replied, keeping my eyes locked on his.

"Ye le' Duffy force ye enta et den?" he asked, his eyes searching mine.

"No! It was my choice!" I exclaimed in frustration.

"Di' ye e'er tink o' 'ow I migh' fee' 'bout dis 'choice' o' yers, as et were?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

I looked at him confused. "What are you talking about?"

I felt my back hit the wall and Connor's hands coming to rest on either side of me. He looked down before meeting my gaze again. "Ye coul' 'ave go'en killed, ye know dat?" he muttered.

"I tried not to think about that part of it," I replied quietly.

"Well ye nee' ta! Wha' th' fuck 'm I 'pposed ta do wit' ou' ye?" Connor barked.

"Connor, you weren't here," I replied. "And as far as I knew, you were never coming back. Why would you need to be a factor in my decision if I was never going to see you again?"

He scoffed. "So tha' means ye jus' frow yer life away? Wha' 'bout Ava an' little Aiden?"

I felt a wash of anger flow over me. "What is this? An episode of 'do as I say, not as I do'?"

He scowled. "Wha' doe' tha' mean?"

I moved my hands to his chest and shoved him, but he stayed in place, blocking me in against the wall. "How do you think it felt, knowing when you were gone, what you were doing? Hell, even now? What you're doing is so much more dangerous! How can you crucify me for this when you live the life that you do?"

"Et's diff'ren'," he argued.

I looked at him in disbelief. "You know what? You're right! It _is_ different! It's _worse_!"

Connor shook his head. "'m no' goin' ta figh' wit' ye 'bou' dis," he told me.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "Fine. Whatever. I just want you to be safe an-MMF!"

_I was cut off as Connor slammed his lips over mine. My eyes widened for a moment before fluttering shut as his right hand dug into my hip, slamming our pelvises together, his left flat against the wall behind me as he pressed himself closer to me. I clutched his shirt tightly in my hands and pulled him impossibly closer, our bodies connected at every point, groaning as his tongue slid against mine. The taste of him burst over my senses, scotch and nicotine mixing with the cool taste of peppermint, the smell of leather and cigarettes mixed with the sharp tang of his soap flooded my nostrils and I felt like I couldn't get enough. We quickly fell into a familiar rhythm even after all the time that had passed. He growled into my mouth as I moved my hands to his hips, looping my fingers through his belt loops to pull him closer and ground my pelvis into his. He peppered kisses down my chin to my neck, sucking a bruise on my collarbone, his body pinning me against the wall._

_"Fuck, Conn," I moaned, his hand moving from my hip under my shirt, his fingers tickling the skin, lightly creating goosebumps as they traveled up my stomach. His mouth slanted over mine as his hand closed over my breast, massaging it gently. I leaned my head back, barely noticing as it hit the wall with a hollow thud._

_"Fuck, I 'ave missed dis," Connor muttered, withdrawing his hand from under my shirt and ripping it over my head, tossing it blindly over his shoulder. He moved his hand under my hair and brought my mouth back to his, sucking my bottom lip into his mouth. "Ye taste so goo'," he muttered against my mouth. "Li' gra'fruits." He tangled his hand in my hair and slanted his lips over mine, cutting off a reply._

_I moved my hands under his shirt, my nails gentIy scratching over his stomach as I moved them upwards, taking the shirt with me. He pulled away for a moment and let me pull the shirt over his head, tossing it behind him. I let out a quiet gasp as his hands moved and tightened around my waist, lifting me against the wall, bringing us face to face as he pressed his mouth back to mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer, my own fingers threading through his hair and digging into the back of his scalp. I wrapped my legs around his hips, shuddering as he ground himself into me. My body felt as if it were on fire, every place he touched seemed as though it was bursting into flames. I moved my hands to his neck, cradling his jaw, feeling his rapid heartbeat beneath my fingertips._

_He pulled back, breathing heavily, his eyes closed, his forehead resting against mine. Slowly, he opened his eyes. Neither of us said a word as we searched each other's faces, waiting for the other to make a move. I swallowed heavily, my eyes flickering to his mouth as his tongue darted out to wet his swollen lips. I brought my eyes to meet his and gave a slight nod. He smirked and brought my mouth back to his, his other hand planting itself on the small of my back. I tightened my thighs around his hips as he pulled me from the wall. He moved us to the pool table and sat me on the edge of it. He pulled his mouth from mine, our gazes locked. I pushed myself to the middle of the pool table as he slipped his rosary over his head, setting it on a high top table I reached around my neck and carefully took off my necklace, pocketing it in my jeans before pushing the denim over my hips, kicking them over the side of the table. I reached behind my back to unclasp my bra, tossing it to the side as Connor stepped out of his own jeans, leaving us both in only one scrap of clothing a piece._

_The only sound in the room was our labored breathing as he pulled himself onto the pool table, reaching out and pulling me towards him as he moved his body over mine. He swept his hand to the back of my neck and brushed his lips over mine as his other hand moved below my pantyline, his fingers dancing over the sensitive skin where my thigh met my hipbone. I whined as pulled back and shook my head._

_"Wha's wron'?" he asked, his voice low._

_I swallowed. "We'll have plenty of time for foreplay later. But I've waited... we've waited, too long for this... I want you inside me. Now."_

_Connor groaned and shut his eyes tight, trying to keep control. "Ye kee' tal' like dat, I migh' no' make et dat far," he growled, sending a shiver through me. He opened his eyes, his pupils blown wide with lust as they traveled over my body. He moved off the table and reached down to pull a condom from his jeans._

_"You always were well prepared," I murmured as he hovered over me._

_He smirked. "Ne'er know wha' migh' 'appen."_

_I plucked the condom from his fingers and carefully ripped it open as Connor placed his hands on either side of my shoulders, holding his body over me, his biceps taut with the strain. I snagged a toe into his boxers and pulled them down his thighs with my feet, letting the arch of my foot travel down the path of his thigh._

_"Learn som' ne' tricks, love?" Connor asked with a smirk as he kicked them off the table, pressing himself against my still covered center._

_"I like to keep things interesting," I replied with a shudder, biting my lower lip as I pulled the rubber out of the wrapper. I let the trash fall from my fingers and moved my hands down his torso, smirking when I felt a shiver run through his body, his muscles bunching under my touch. We both watched as I moved my hands between us, carefully rolling the condom over him. I brought my hands up to rest on his cheeks pulling his mouth back to mine. He carefully lowered his weight over me and reached his hand between us, our mouths still connected. He wrapped his fingers around my underwear and I hissed against his lips as he tore them from my body._

_I pushed his face back gently, our noses touching. "Why have you always insisted on destroying my underwear?" I hissed, giving him a frown._

_"Easier tha' way. I'll buy ye mo'," he growled._

_I opened my mouth to reply, but all that came out was a moan as he thrust himself inside of me to the hilt and dropped his head to my shoulder._

_"Oh fuck," we said in unison, freezing in place. I dug my fingers into his shoulders, nails piercing the skin._

_"Conn, move," I begged, tightening my thighs around him and rolling my hips._

_"Go' ta give me a secon', love," he murmured into my neck, his voice strained. "Bee' awhile."_

_"Who's fault is that?" I retorted, yelping when he bit my shoulder. "Did you really just bite me?"_

_He replied by slowly moving himself in and out of me. I sighed, my hips rising to meet his, both of us taking up a lazy pace, re-adjusting to each other. His fingers tangled in my hair and pulled gently, exposing my neck to him as he ran his tongue over it before placing wet kisses up and down. His other hand moved to the small of my back, lifting me lightly to alter the angle of our thrusts. He grunted and brought his mouth to mine, kissing me as he started to pick up the pace._

_"Oh, God," I breathed, squeezing my eyes shut and swallowing hard, feeling a rush of heat over my body._

_"Ope' yer eyes, Kher," he murmured. "Wen' too lon' wit'ou' seein' ye like dis."_

_I forced my eyes open, losing myself in a sea of blue, his forehead against mine. This felt different from all the times before. Not only because of the passage of time, but because there was no urgency._

_"I love ye, Kher," he murmured, brushing his lips over mine._

_"I love you, too," I whimpered, sucking in a breath as he managed to hit a spot deep inside me._

_I felt his hand slide from my back to my side, running down my thigh to the back of my knee. He hitched the leg over his hip and I arched my back as he seemed to drive even deeper._

_"Harder, Conn, please," I begged._

_His hips snapped into me drawing a loud moan from both of us. He brought my hands above my head and captured my wrists in one hand. His other moved to my chin and he pressed his mouth to mine, kissing me with force, his tongue matching the tandem of his hips. I ripped myself from the kiss with a growl. I let out a whine as I felt his hand move painfully slowly down my body before f__inally reaching his destination. With one touch I came apart beneath him, his release moments later._

* * *

**AN3:**

Lucy: I can think of nothing better that two girls can bond over! ;-) I enjoy the repeated ego stroking, so please tell me how awesome I am repeatedly. Jk, jk! Seriously though, I'm SO super duper glad you like this and continue to love it so much. And thank you for the compliments. You're making me blush, haha. :) :) :) And I love you! I will write as long as I have things to say! And I'm a huge jerk with all these cliffies, I know. Still love me...?

Anonnie: Yay! I'm so glad someone agrees! I mean, I love Murphy too and I read Murphy fics, but sometimes it just seems a little lopsided, especially when Connor is so... mmm... Connor, haha. I know that was missing Conn, but I wanted to get some questions answered for you guys. He's back now! I hope this chapter made up for it! :)

Beth: I tend to follow your rambles and they always make me smile. I don't really think anyone can win the Connor vs. Murphy debate, simply because each side is SO strong. And honestly, it's impossible to have a loser because they're both so... yum. Team Connor here, but I wouldn't mind taking Murphy for a spin every now and then, ha. No one seems to really like Stefano (even before you weren't supposed to). I guess when you're 'competing against a MacManus, there's no hope, ha. If there's a way I can put you in, I shall find it, haha. So we scall see. ;-) Let me know if you ever decide to write on here again. I will most definitely follow/read/comment until you want to be rid of me. ;-) Yeah, pretty much any action scene, whether it be fight/sex/whatever, I never feel like I'm quite up to par with what the reader's are anticipating, especially because there's just so much riding on them (no pun intended). I will keep that in mind that you're willing to help! Have to think of a code word or something so I don't give too much away, ha. I always appreciate another set of eyes if nothing else. As for your P.S... I approve of fist shaking, haha. I like any sort of reaction, good or bad. And P.P.S. DO IT! I want to read it! And I doubt that. Especially since honestly, I really didn't think ANYONE was going to like these stories. That's not me looking for compliments or anything, I just didn't anticipate it.

Alessandra: Haha! I like jumpy little girl dances! We shall set up a Conn-Murph exchange haha. I'm all over it. Yum. I hope this chapter pleased you and lived up to your expectations (since I know you've been waiting for it). Irish babies may be in the future, idk, we'll see. And drunk Kher is fun Kher. I'm not going to lie, I really enjoy writing those parts, haha. And yes, Connor's all possessive of his lass, haha. I LOVE YOU! :)

Megan: Thank you! Yes, I figured it was time to have questions answered. Awe, tears! Yeah, I don't think it would be easy for Connor to hear what he and Murphy missed. Oh drunken Kher. She needs to learn how to hold her liquor, haha. Duffy's my favorite secondary character in the movies. I adore him. I really don't think Stefano has a fanbase, ha. And we shall see what happens on that front. :) :) :)


	13. Turning Page

**Author's Note:** I'm a little behind in my posting today. Hi! I figured I'd give you guys a chapter. Just a warning, I may not be posting again til Monday. I have a lot of stuff going on (good, not bad) and then I plan to bang out the remainder of this story (because it's technically not finished, ha) so there will be no real delay for you guys. Now I'm babbling. As always, thank you for reading/reviewing/alerting/favoriting. Those e-mail alerts make my day, no joke. Special thanks toooooooo... **gurl3677, "Lucy" **(times 3, haha)**, blondiegirl17, SaraLostInes, SilverMoonlit, iforgiveyou, "Anonnie", coffee-ink-fire, BlueMoonSaint, "Alessandra", Valerie E. Mackin, Panicking at a Disco**... you guys are just... SQUEE!

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Turning Page is Sleeping at Last. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 13 (Turning Page):**

"_I surrender who I've been... for who you are... for nothing makes me stronger than, your fragile heart... if I had only felt how it feels to be yours, then I would've known what I've been living for..."_

"We were always good at this part," I murmured. I laid with my head on Connor's chest, a threadbare blanket thrown over us on the pool table as we both caught our breath, air cool against our damp skin.

He glanced down at me. "Goo' a' wha' par'?" he murmured into my hair, tightening his arm around my shoulders, his fingers running through my hair.

I smiled and looked up at him, gently rubbing my fingers over his lips. "The making up part," I murmured.

He gave me a slow smile and gently nipped at my index finger. "Too' ye lon' 'nough ta come ta yer senses, girl," he muttered affectionately.

I moved my hand to rest against his cheek and stretched to press my lips to his. He groaned low in his throat as I gently swept my tongue over his lips. He opened his mouth to me and pressed his hand to my back, pulling me closer. "Missed dis," he whispered against my mouth, his hands moving to knead the skin of my hips.

I pressed one last kiss to his mouth before lowering my head to his shoulder, resting my hand over his chest, feeling the gentle rhythm of his heart beat as I nuzzled into his neck.

"Ye gon' le' me see tha' tattoo no', lass?"

I turned my face towards him. "You aren't going to let that go, are you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He brushed his lips over my forehead. "Jus' wan' ta see."

I sighed and sat up, groaning at the dull but pleasant ache in my muscles and between my thighs.

"Ye alrigh'?" Connor asked, sitting up behind me. He skimmed his lips over my shoulder and ran his nose along my jaw line.

"Yeah," I breathed his mouth closed over my pulse point, sucking gently.

He pulled away, kissing the spot lightly. "Ye jus' taste so goo'," he murmured.

"Thought you wanted to see the tattoo," I whispered, glancing over my shoulder. "Keep touching me like that and we might have to go another round."

Connor smirked and pressed one last kiss to my shoulder before moving away. I felt his gaze travel down my back as I held the blanket to my chest. He lightly dragged his fingers over the cross on the small of my back, making me shiver. He glanced up at me. "Ye alrigh'?" he asked, his voice soft.

"Don't act innocent," I muttered. "You know exactly what you're doing."

He gave me a smirk and a wink. "'ave ta kee' tha' en min', love," he replied before his his gaze traveled back down my spine. "Ver' intricate desig'," he told me. He moved to get a closer look. "Doe' et..." He narrowed his eyes in concentration. After a moment he slowly met my gaze. "_Veritas_?"

I bit my lower lip and nodded, feeling my cheeks flush. "I wanted a piece of you with me... just in case..."

Connor swallowed and sat up pressing his mouth to mine and pulling me onto his lap, his hands sliding up my back, as he laid back down, bringing me with him.

"Too much?" I asked as I pulled away. "Me branding myself like that? Freak you out?"

He shook his head. "No' a' all lass. Mea's ye ne'er ga' u' o' me. No matt' wha' ye migh' 'ave sai'."

I smiled softly and pressed my lips to his gently before rolling off of him and snuggling up to his side, my face burrowed in his neck.

"'m sorry."

I peered up at him with a look of confusion. "For…?"

He sighed and moved off the pool table, grabbing his boxers. "E'erytin'. None o' dis wa' fai' ta ye."

I bit my lower lip and wrapped the wool blanket around me, moving to sit on the edge of the table, my legs dangling over the side. "Are you going to tell me this was all a mistake or something?"

Connor stopped and glanced down before looking like he was about to face palm. "Fuck me. Dis loo's ba' doe'n' et?" He shook his head and pulled his boxers over his hips before moving back to me and cradling my jaw in his hands. "Dat's no' wha' I mean'. 'm sorry fer leavin' ye. Shoul' 'ave ne'er done tha'." He pulled me in, capturing my mouth with his.

I moved my hands to grip his wrists and pulled away, my forehead resting against his, my eyes closed. "Conn, it's okay, I know why you had to go." I brushed my nose over his and swallowed, opening my eyes to meet his gaze. "And you're here now... that's what matters to me," I murmured.

He smiled, pecking me lightly as he ran his thumb along my cheekbone. "'m no' goin' an'where, alrigh'? No' dis time."

I smiled back, moving my arms to drape over his shoulders. "Where did you go anyway?" I asked, my fingers gently scratching his scalp. "I never asked."

He sighed and moved closer, standing between my thighs as his hands ran down the curve of my body to rest on my hips. "Me an' Murph... we wen' 'ome. Wit' Da."

I cocked my head to the side as I moved my hands to rest on either side of his neck, my thumb caressing his Mary tattoo. "You went back to Ireland?"

He nodded, instinctively leaning into my touch, making me smile. "Aye. Seemed like th' bes' pla' ta go."

"And what did you do?" I asked, wrapping my legs around his hips and crossing my ankles behind his back.

"Bet' question es... wha' do ye tink yer doin', lass?" he asked, pressing his groin into me.

My breath hitched in my throat as he spread his fingers to grip my hips and pulled me closer to the edge of the pool table. "What do you mean?" I rasped as I felt his whiskered chin tickle at my throat, his mouth moving to my ear.

Before he could reply, a sharp knock sliced through the air. "Connor, ye decen'?" Murphy asked, his voice muffled through the thick wooden door.

"Fuckin' Murph an' 'is cockblockin'," Connor muttered. "'ol' o' a fuckin' secon', alrigh'?" he hollered back. He reached down and grabbed my jeans and his sweater, tossing them on the table beside me before reaching for his own jeans, pulling them over his hips.

I hopped off the table and yanked the sweater over my head and pulling it down to my thighs. I glanced up to see Connor watching me, his arms crossed over his naked torso and his signature smirk in place. "See something you like, MacManus?" I asked, grabbing my jeans and shimmying into them.

"Aye," he replied, crossing over to me and wrapping an arm around my waist, lifting me onto the table, making me gasp in surprise. "Ye loo' goo' en me clothes, Kher. Almos' as goo' as ye do wit'ou'," he told me before slanting his mouth over mine, pulling my hips flush against his, making me groan into his mouth.

"Uh, 'ey, sti' ou' 'ere," Murphy called through the door.

Connor growled and kissed me one last time, hard enough to make me lose my breath and send a shiver all the way down to my toes before stalking to the door and ripping it open. "Th' fuck do ye wan'?" he growled at his brother.

Murphy covered his eyes. "Jesus fuckin' Christ, brudder, a' leas' zi' u' yer jeans."

"Read' ta admi' 'm th' old' one, den?" Connor asked, stepping aside to let Murphy pass.

"'m read' ta tell ye ta go fuck yersel'," he retorted. He slowly lowered his hands and saw me sitting on the edge of the pool table, the infamous MacManus smirk spreading over his features. "Bu' et loo's like ye 'ave someone else ta do tha' fer ye," he continued. "'iya Kher. Didn' tink ye were still 'ere."

I felt myself flush at Murphy's (accurate) insinuation. "Hi, Murphy. What's up?"

"Fro' wha' I ca' tell, me brudder, dat's wha'," he replied, walking over and hopping onto the table beside me. "No' takin' care o' 'im?"

I rolled my eyes, feeling my face stay aflame. "Did you just come here to discuss your brother's sex life or are you here for an actual reason?" I asked, pulling a thread from Connor's sweater before meeting Murphy's gaze.

Connor walked over, grabbing an ashtray off a side table and sat on the other side of me, pulling a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. "Sure 'e jus' sto'ed en ta be a pai' en th' arse. 'e's goo' a' et." He tapped the pack against his hand before holding it out to me. I shook my head and he shrugged, pulling two out and lighting them, reaching across to hand one to Murphy.

"We', I didn' mea' ta interrupt yer reunion, bu' we're goin' ta 'ave vis'tors soo'," he told Connor grabbing the cigarette and taking a deep drag.

"Th' fellas an' Bloo'?" Connor asked, moving his arm to rest along my inner thigh, his hand on my knee.

I furrowed my brow and looked between the two of them. "What's going on?"

Murphy raised an eyebrow, his cigarette hanging out of the side of his mouth. "Ye didn' tell 'er?"

"Bee' a wee bi' busy," Connor replied, a defensive tone in his voice.

"Well, can someone tell me now, please?" I pushed.

Connor sighed and took a drag of his cigarette, blowing the smoke through his nose before turning to me. "We', I tol' ye earlier tanigh' tha' we're goin' aft' Yakavetta."

I nodded. "Right..."

"We'..." He trailed off and looked past my shoulder at his twin before looking back at me. "We 'ave ta pla' et."

"Okay..."

"We're pla'in' et wi' a' FBI Agen' an' Doll, Duff and Gree'bea's."

"Bu' th' fellas don' know tha' ye'," Murphy finished, pulling my attention to him.

"I see..." I said, nodding slowly, moving my eyes to focus on Connor's hand on my knee. "The FBI agent's first name wouldn't happen to be 'Eunice', would it?"

The boys raised an eyebrow and exchanged a look. "Aye," Murphy answered.

"Wha' do ye know 'bout 'er?" Connor asked, a note of suspicion in his tone.

I glanced up and met his eyes. "She happened to stop by my apartment the other day. Had some questions."

"Wha' kin' o' questions?" Murphy asked.

I sighed and shrugged. "Questions about you guys and just what I knew. We didn't get very far because I wouldn't really tell her anything."

The twins exchanged another look before looking back at me. "She ne'er mentioned dat she knew ye," Connor muttered.

"Well, she really doesn't know me. Like I said, she stopped by expecting answers that I wouldn't give.

Connor furrowed his brow and took another drag as Murphy looked thoughtful, gazing across the room. "'ow lon' til dey're 'ere?" Connor asked after a few moments of silence.

Murphy glanced at his watch. "Bloo' sai' dey woul' be 'ere 'roun' 2:30."

"Dat's wha'? 'bou' a' hour?"

Murphy nodded. "Soun's 'bou' righ'."

"Gi' me fi'tee' an' I'll be ou'," Connor told him.

Murphy smirked but nodded, pushing himself off the table. "Don' do an'ting I woul'n' do," he purred, giving me a wink.

I snorted. "Is there anything you wouldn't do, Murph?"

He thought for a moment. "Me brudder, fer one, so I guess yer already no' listenin' ta me," he told me before cackling and running out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

I giggled and turned back to Connor. "Your brother is ridiculous," I told him, shaking my head.

"Dat's one wor' fer 'im, th' little bastar'," he replied with a chuckle, snuffing out his cigarette.

"So, why did you need 15 minutes?" I asked, pushing myself off the table and walking over to grab my shoes and slip them on.

"Fel' like we shoul' tal' fer a bi'," he replied. "Toss me und'shir' woul' ya?"

I grabbed his wifebeater off the back of a chair and walked it over to him. "Talk about what exactly?"

"Wan' ta make sure yer alrigh' fer one," he replied, taking the shirt from me and pulling it over his head.

I kissed him on the cheek. "I'm fine. What else?"

"Ye ca' come ou' fer th' plannin' ef ye wan'," he told me, grabbing my wrist and pulling me between his legs.

I raised an eyebrow and rested my palms on his thighs. "You want me there?"

He shrugged and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. "Only ef ye wan'. Don' wan' ye ta be a par' o' et, bu' et's no' like et's all secre' like fer ye o' an'ting. An' I don' really wan' ta le' ye ou' o' me sigh' jus' ye'."

"Well, then, I'll be there," I replied with a shrug. "I'll get bored in here anyway."

He chuckled. "Can' 'ave tha'," he muttered. He pressed his lips to mine and his hands drifted up to my neck, holding me in place. I dug my fingers into his thighs, opening my mouth to him, his tongue rubbing against mine.

"This isn't talking," I murmured against his mouth.

"Ye complai'in'?" he whispered, his lips skimming my jaw, his tongue darting behind my ear.

"No," I replied, short of breath. "Just don't want you to start something and not finish it right now."

"Ye make a goo' poin' dere, lass." He pressed one last kiss to my mouth before pulling back.

"You're an Irish devil, you know that?" I told him, taking a step back to let him off the pool table.

He smirked. "Las' I 'eard I wa' a Saint."

I rolled my eyes. "Just proves that those people don't really know you, doesn't it?"

Connor laughed and kissed me quickly before walking towards the door. "Come o' ou' whe' yer ready," he told me, his hand on the knob.

I nodded and gave him a smile. "I'll be out," I told him, pulling myself up on the pool table and pulling my phone out of my pocket and tapping at a few buttons.

"An' Kher?"

I looked up and met his gaze.

"I love ye."

A grin broke over my face and I ran over, jumping into his arms, pressing my mouth to his. He smiled at me as we separated.

"I love you too," I told him as he put me down. He gave me a wink and ducked out the door into the bar.

* * *

I pulled my hair back into a ponytail as I quietly made my way out to the bar about an hour later. Doc was filling glasses for the three detectives as Connor, Murphy and Eunice were talking quietly and shuffling through papers, cigarettes resting between the boys fingers. Romeo sat on the outskirts of their group, listening carefully. Doc glanced up and gave me smile. "K-k-kher," he greeted, lifting the bottle of whiskey.

I gave a smile and waved as the group turned to look at me. "Evening... or I guess I should say morning, everyone," I said, pulling up a stool beside Dolly.

"What are you doing here?" Duffy asked, peering around his partner.

I shrugged and smiled at Doc as he filled a pint for me. "Have a lot to fill you in on, but I don't think now is the time," I told him, taking a gulp of the beer, shuddering as the cool liquid made its way through my system.

"Don't know if I like the sound of that," he replied, taking a sip of his whiskey.

"Told ya we'd be meetin' again, sugar."

I turned to look at Eunice. A wide smile was spread over her face and I couldn't help but narrow my eyes at how close she was sitting to both boys. "Guess you were right," I told her, lifting my pint in greeting.

"Connor here was just tellin' me about your little Stefano problem. Seems this whole Yakavetta thing could be a two birds, one stone sort of deal, especially for ya."

I swallowed and met Connor's gaze. He gave a slight nod and shrugged. "Goin' ta take dow' little Yaka es our priority. Bu' Murph an' me... we 'ave ta protec' ye, Ava an' Aiden. An' dat means dat Stefano es a priority as well."

Murphy nodded in agreement. "Dat ma' es dangerous."

I held my hands up. "You won't get any argument from this corner."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Greenly interrupted. "What the fuck are you all talking about?"

I sighed and turned on my stool to face the detectives. "Well... I guess the only way to put it... I was exposed."

Duffy's eyes widened and he glanced at Connor in apprehension. "Shit," he muttered. "How?"

I shrugged. "Apparently he knew the whole time. I was being played. Figured now was the time to lay down the gauntlet."

"Don' 'preciate ye puttin' 'er en tha' predicamen' as it were," Connor growled from behind me at Duffy.

I shot a look at him over my shoulder. "Connor, don't start. It was my decision, Brian's suggestion. We've already been through that."

Connor shook his head and scowled. "Murph an' I tol' dese tree ta loo' aft' ye an' Ava. Frowin' ye righ' en da middle es no' tha'."

Murphy nodded, his expression serious. "'m wit' Connor on dis one."

Duffy cleared his throat. "I thought she could help us out. And honestly, she did. For the most part we've been a few steps ahead of him."

"And Ava was never affected," Dolly added.

Connor narrowed his eyes. "'e's sti' doin' 'is shi'. 'ow di' dis 'elp?" he growled through clenched teeth.

"Now, now boys," Eunice interjected, laying her hand on Connor's arm. "Looks like ya girl is just fine. Both of 'em. No need to git your panties in a bunch," she drawled.

"Seriously, Conn, it's done. Leave it alone."

He gave me a look but let it go, taking a drag of his cigarette.

'So, what exactly is your plan?" I asked, breaking the tension.

Connor shrugged. "Goin' ta go straight to 'im."

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but straight to him where?" Dolly asked.

"The Pru," Murphy replied.

I looked at them incredulously. "You think that's wise?"

"Are you crazy?" Dolly added.

"I mean, why don't you do it center ice at a fuckin' Bruins game instead?" Greenly suggested sarcastically.

Connor shrugged, draping his arm behind Eunice's chair. "Dat's where th' ma' es, so dat's where we're goin'." He smirked and leaned forward. "No guts, no glory, Gree'bea's."

"We coul' e'en use a 'an'," Murphy added. "Dat es ef ye ca' sti' ge' yer Irish o'."

The three detectives exchanged a look before looking back at the brothers. "We're in," they replied, raising their glasses in the air.

Eunice and I both rolled our eyes and scoffed. "Men," we breathed in unison.

"When we doin' it?" Romeo asked, breaking his silence and taking a sip of tequila.

"Go en forty-eigh' hours," Connor replied. "An' th' pla' es a beaut' ef I say so meself."

Murphy and I both snorted and rolled our eyes.

"Wha'?" Connor asked glancing over at me. "I 'ave grea' pla's."

I held up my hands. "Whatever you say, Conn. I had something in my throat."

He narrowed his eyes at me and opened his mouth to reply.

"I think I need to get home and start prepping myself," Eunice interjected, cutting him off. She settled her hands on the bar and pushed herself to her feet. "Good seein' you again darlin'," she told me.

I gave her a half smile. "Indeed."

"Connor, Murphy... escort a lady to the door, wouldya?" she called, making her way to the exit, the boys leaping off their own stools and offering their arms.

I rolled my eyes and slid off the stool, making my way towards the storage room.

"And where are you off to?" Duffy asked, spinning on his own stool to face me.

"I need some sleep. When Conn comes back, tell him I went to the back room," I replied. "And don't let him be too hard on you."

"You're stayin' here?" Greenly asked, glancing over his shoulder.

I shrugged in reply. "With all this Stefano stuff going on, my apartment isn't safe... and I don't want to risk throwing Ava or Aiden into that mess."

"Probably safest here," Dolly agreed.

"Better not be keeping me up," Romeo warned with a grin.

I chuckled. "I'm not that kind of girl. And what makes you think anything like what you're suggesting would happen?"

Romeo raised an eyebrow. "Let's just say Fuck-Ass, Murphy and I now know fairly well that you ain't the silent type sweetheart."

My mouth dropped open as my cheeks turned red. Doc disappeared into the back of the bar quickly. Greenly choked on his whiskey. Duffy bit his lower lip to keep from laughing.

"Now ain't that just a little bit awkward," Dolly muttered.

"Yeah, I'm definitely going to go smother myself with a pillow," I murmured.

"You gonna give me the story?" Duffy pushed, an eyebrow raised and a smirk on his face.

I shot him a look, my face still flushed. "Not now, obviously."

He laughed. "Alright, expect a call from me tomorrow."

"Yup, good night!" I called before disappearing into the storage room, slamming the door behind me.

* * *

**AN2:**

Lucy: You still love me and you know it. Hahaha. I hope you're happy now that you now about the tat with this chapter. As for ConKher's argument... I figured it made sense. And I seem to keep writing them fighting. Oh well, they always make up. ;-) And seriously, you kill me. I didn't realize the sex scene was that intense/hot! I was all "meh" about it. But I guess not. At least I have options for a future career! Hahahaha. ;-)

Anonnie: I thought that chapter might make up for lack of Connor in the flashbacks. I'm glad the sex scene worked so well for everyone, ha. And I am seriously like 12 years old. I get all blushy and twitchy with sex scenes (nerd alert). As always, thanks for the review. They make me smile and giggle. :) :) :)

Alessandra: I was a little worried that there wasn't enough of a transition. Like "OMG I HATE YOU!" and then suddenly "LET'S GET IT ON!". But, hopefully, even though you weren't expecting it, it still worked out alright. Connor totally strikes me as though it takes a lot for him to get mad, but once he does, that Irish temper can just... "RAWR!" But yes, he just loves her and wants to protect her and as the creator of this, I'm also imagining he kind of blames himself for it which makes him just get angrier, you know what I mean? And I figured Connor cutting her off with a kiss would be fitting, not to mention we've all been waiting for it. And we'll see what the Italians have in store. I'm so glad I make your day! Your reviews make mine! Seriously, I'll be like "Where's Alessandra's review!" And yes, yes, yes! Irish twin brothers! I don't care what their names are, we'll change them! :) Love you and your review! And yes, Connor will not be happy with Duff.


	14. Never Stop

**Author's Note:** Surprise! I know I said you guys would probably have to wait til Monday, but I had a pretty big chunk of time last night and writing went really well. The story still isn't quite finished, but I think I know exactly how I want it to go. Plus, I think I really liked how it seems to be working and I want to gauge how you guys feel about it. As always, thank you to those who read/review/fave/alert. It's such a good feeling to look at those numbers. Seriously. Special thanks to...** Valerie E. Mackin, coffee-ink-fire, iforgiveyou, SilverMoonlit, BlueMoonSaint, "Lucy", blondiegirl17, "Alessandra", Panicking at a Disco**... loads of hugs and kisses and cookies for you all. Because you're amazing.

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Never Stop is SafetySuit. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

_**AN2: Yet again... MATURE CONTENT! I REPEAT! MATURE CONTENT! If this is NOT your schtick, you can completely skip the italicized section. Otherwise, enjoy. It's a bit gratuitous, but (1) it was pseudo requested, so I thought I'd give it another try... attempt to hone my smut-writing skills if you will and (2) it gave me a plot idea. I'll shut up now and let you read...**_

**Chapter 14 (Never Stop):**

"_Still get my heart racing, you still get my heart racing for you... I'll never stop trying... I'll never stop watching as you leave... I'll never stop losing my breath, everytime I see you looking back at me..."_

_It was so hot..._

_That was my first thought as I slowly woke. My stomach was clenched and I could hear the blood rushing through my ears, a tingling between my thighs. I slowly opened my eyes as I let out a soft whine, a drop of sweat making its way over my temple. I looked up to see Connor staring down at me._

_"What are you... oh!" I groaned, throwing my head back and squeezing my eyes shut as his fingers dipped inside me, his thumb rolling over me._

_"I couldn' help meself, lass," he whispered, moving his body over me, his fingers still working me as my thighs fell open to give him better access. "Ye jus' looked so invitin' layin' like ye were."_

_"Mmmm," I moaned, throwing my hand back to clutch at the pillow as I arched into his hand. "You couldn't wake me up first?" I bit out, letting out a gasp as I felt my orgasm build, his fingers picking up the pace._

_"Yer 'wake no' aren't ye?" he growled into my ear, his tongue darting over the lobe. "Go on, lass," his voice growled in my ear, making me that much hotter as it felt like he was everywhere. "Go 'hea' an' come fer me, Kher."_

_I sucked in gulps of air, my hips stuttering as I felt the crashing waves of orgasm smash through me. "Connor..." I groaned out, trying to squeeze my thighs together and trap his hand, but he used his body to keep them apart, his fingers still moving, not relenting as he planted his mouth at the base of my neck, sucking at the skin where my neck met my shoulder. I let out a whine, my body trying to simultaneously search out the ecstasy of orgasm and push it away. I felt like I was losing my mind as my brain couldn't decide whether I wanted it to go on forever or stop, my eyes squeezed shut and desperate moans escaping my mouth in a voice that I didn't even recognize as my own._

_Gradually Connor slowed his movements until he came to a complete stop, withdrawing his hand from between my thighs and rolling off of me. I worked to catch my breath, my body buzzing with the afterglow of my climax, a tingling all the way down to my toes. I slowly opened my eyes and glanced to my left, Connor's head in his hand, propped on his elbow. A proud smirk was settled over his features as he watched me slowly come back to earth._

_"That was quite a wake up call," I murmured, taking a deep breath, and shifting to face him._

_He moved to press his lips to mine, his tongue running over the seam. "Goo' one, I 'ope," he murmured._

_I pushed him onto his back and straddled his hips, raising an eyebrow as I realized we were both naked. I knew we hadn't gone to bed that way... at least I hadn't. His arousal immediately seemed to seek out my center and we both groaned at the contact as he slid against me, sending a shock through both our systems._

_"Did you have some plans about taking advantage of me this morning?" I whispered as I rolled my hips._

_He groaned and settled his hands on my hips, kneading his fingers into the flesh and helping me move against him. "May 'ave crossed me min'. Go' a bi' o' time ta make up fer as it were."_

_I didn't want to wait another second and I wanted to be as close as possible as soon as we could as I rose up on my knees. I reached between us and grabbed his cock in my hand before settling over him and sinking down inch by delicious inch. Connor quickly sat up, his eyes wide. "Ye sure 'bout dis, lass?" he growled out, holding me in place, only about halfway inside._

_I managed to sink down the rest of the way, bringing a growl that seemed to come from deep in his belly out of his mouth. "Only if you are," I ground out, feeling as though I would lose my mind at how good he felt, filling me, his scent blanketing me. I couldn't explain why I wanted him to mark me from the inside out. I didn't think about timing, I didn't think about any consequences. All that mattered was that he was inside me and we were as close as a man and a woman could possibly be. "I'm yours, Connor," I whispered, resting my forehead against his, our eyes locked. "I want you to make me forget that there was ever a reason to doubt that."_

_He hummed an approval as his right arm moved to flatten his hand on the makeshift mattress, supporting his weight in a seated position. His left arm was against my back, his hand on the back of my neck. He pressed his mouth to mine as I rolled my hips, taking him impossibly deeper. I planted my hands behind me on his thighs as I slowly began to thrust my hips, taking him almost all the way out before sinking back down. I used his thighs as leverage and arched my back as I felt the head of his cock hit me in ways it never had before. Connor took the opportunity to move his mouth to my breast, closing his mouth over the nipple and sucking at it, his tongue flicking over the already hardened pebble. It felt like he was everywhere and my brain was misfiring as I started to move faster and faster, both of us grunting and moaning at the sensations, our bodies tensing as our orgasms came closer and closer, barreling down the tracks like a runaway freight train._

_My mouth dropped open in a silent scream and Connor let out a yell as suddenly my walls began to quake around him with my release, his hips stuttering as he came apart inside me. His eyes rolled back in his head as he fell onto his back, bringing me down on top of him, my head against his chest. I worked to catch my breath and though I felt boneless, I planted my hands on the mattress on each side of his body and moved to bring my face to hover over his, waiting for him to open his eyes._

"I tink," he mumbled, slowly lifting his eyelids, the blue irises almost cerulean. "I tink ye jus' made me see 'eaven, girl."

A slow smile spread over my face as I moved to sit up, straddling him. "You started it," I remarked.

"Mmm," he moaned. "Ef dat finish es wha' I ge', I'll be startin' tings more offen," he replied, slowly sitting up, his hands flattened behind him to hold up his weight as he pressed him lips to mine.

Suddenly, I had a thought and froze, causing Connor to pull away. "Someting I di', lass?'

I slowly looked around the room. "Murph and Rome...?"

Connor chuckled. "Tink I woulda bee' doin' dat ef dey were still 'ere? Muph wen' ta see Ava an' little Aiden. Rome wen' ta ge' some infermation fro' 'is uncle."

I let out a sigh of relief. "Good." I rested my arms over his shoulders and kissed him lightly. "I really don't like to perform for an audience," I muttered.

He chuckled. "Alrigh', girl, no nee' ta worry." He watched me carefully for a few moments, almost as if he was trying to read me.

I raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"

"Someting I wan' ta as' ye," he murmured, reaching to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear.

"And that would be...?"

"Ye always wear et?" he asked.

"Wear what?" I asked, cocking my head to the side.

He reached over the edge of the cot and grabbed the silver chain that was peeking out of my denim pocket. He pulled the necklace out and held it up between us. "Dis."

I shrugged and moved to rest my hands on his chest. "Almost always. It tends to be around my neck at least some point everyday."

He nodded and smiled, running his finger over the diamond. "Doe' et fi'?"

"What, the ring?"

"Aye.

I shrugged. "I honestly have no idea. I only tried to put it on my finger once and… couldn't."

He furrowed his brow, holding the necklace tightly in his hand. "Why no'?"

I sighed. "It didn't feel right trying to wear it if you weren't there."

A flash of pain came over his features but he quickly smoothed it out. "Ca' I?" he asked quietly.

I swallowed heavily but nodded, lifting my right hand. He shook his head. "E'en I know which 'and et shoul' be," he murmured.

"Conn," I whispered, my eyes wide.

"Don' worry, lass. 'm no' proposin' o' an'ting crazy like dat." He looked up at me and smiled. "'less ye wan' me ta."

I chuckled lightly and held out my left hand, watching as he gently slipped the ring over the knuckle of my ring finger, the chain dangling from my palm.. "Perfect fit," I murmured.

"Aye," he replied, his eyes stuck on my hand.

I bit my lower lip as he unclasped the chain, pulling it off of the ring without a word. "Conn… you got all quiet on me."

He took a deep breath, grabbing my palm and kissing it before meeting my eyes. "'m goin' ta say sometin', alrigh'? An' le' me jus' ge' et ou'."

I looked at him curiously but nodded as he rested his hands on my hips. "Okay."

"Kher… I love ye. I 'ave always loved ye. I tink I loved ye th' momen' I me' ye, o' a' leas' th' secon' ye spi' yer whiskey all ov' me dat firs' nigh' we me'…"

I snorted back a laugh and covered my mouth, motioning for him to continue.

He chuckled and gave my hips a squeeze before continuing. "I know I pu' ye trew th' ringer dese pas' few years…" I gave him a look. "Alrigh' I know, et's mo' den a few. Bu' 'm 'ere no'. 'm no' foolish enou' ta belie' tha' e'eryting es goin' ta be pairfect o' easy fer us. Et ne'er 'as bee', e'en befer. Bu' I do know, dat ef yer wi' me, e'eryting will be alrigh', some'ow."

He paused, seeming to gather his thoughts. He took my left hand and looked at the ring in silence.

"So… what are you saying?" I asked, breaking the quiet.

He took a deep breath and met my gaze. He smiled and rested his left hand on my cheek, his thumb running over my cheekbone. "I gue' wha' 'm sayin' es, I wan' ta make ye a promise… I will always be 'ere. 'f I go, yer goin' wi' me. 'f ye go, 'm followin' ye. I tried ta live wi'ou' ye an' I jus' coul'n'. Ye go' und' me ski', Kher." He glanced down at the ring. "Like I sai', 'm no' proposing. Don' tink we're read' fer dat. Bu' I wan' ye ta wear da rin' as a promise. 'f ye wan'…"

He looked up at me, his eyes hopeful. I searched his gaze before finally swallowing and nodding. "Of course," I whispered.

His face broke into a grin and he pressed his lips to mine, lying back down and pulling me on top of him.

I pulled away as my phone began to ring. "Bah, let me check that," I groaned, reaching for my jeans and pulling the phone from my pocket. I glanced at the screen. "It's Ava," I told him.

"'nore et. I wa' jus' gettin' star'ed 'ere," Connor told me.

I chuckled. "It might be important," I reasoned, pressing the TALK button and lifting the phone to my ear. "Everything okay?" I answered.

"Kher?"

A look of confusion washed over my face. "Murphy? Why are you calling me from Ava's phone?"

Connor sat up on his elbows, a look of concern settling over his features.

"We'…" Murphy cleared his throat. "We 'ave a problem."

My hand tightened its' grip on the phone and my eyes met Connor's. "What kind of problem? What's wrong? Ava's okay right? Aiden's alright?"

Murphy hesitated, his breathing heavy on the other end of the line.

"Murphy! What is it?" I asked again, my voice shrill, my panic beginning to rise.

"Et's Aiden…" He trailed off.

"What about him!?" I shrieked.

"'e's missing…"

I dropped the phone to the ground and felt all the blood rush out of my face.

* * *

I burst into Ava's apartment, Connor on my heels. She looked up from the couch, a hopeful look on her face but it immediately vanished when she saw that we were alone. Murphy sat beside her, his arm around her shoulders, holding her close.

"What happened?" I murmured, looking at Ava.

She shook her head and bit her lip, her eyes shining with tears. "I…" She bit back a sob. "I don't know…"

Murphy squeezed her shoulder before standing up and walking over to us. "Le' me fi' ye en," he murmured, nodding his head towards the kitchen. "Ava, we'll be righ' 'ere, alrigh'?"

She buried her face in her hands and my heart broke as she let out a sob. I bit my lower lip and followed Murphy into the kitchen, Connor close behind.

"Wha' 'appened, Murph?" Connor asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

He ran a hand over his face and leaned against the counter. "I came o'er ta see 'em dis mornin', like I tol' ye. Ava le' me en an' she sai' Aiden wa' still sleepin'. She wen' ta go wake 'im u' an' 'is be' wa' empty. An' et wa' col'. 'e's no' 'ere."

I felt my hands start to shake and as though my stomach was in my throat. Connor glanced over at me and grabbed my wrist, pulling me to his chest. "Cal' dow', 'e's fine, alrigh'? Jus' breathe." He wrapped his arms around me, holding me in place, his chin resting on my head

I shook my head. "You don't know that. He's not here. He's alone. He's probably scared and confused. We _have_ to find him. He's just a baby. He's just a little boy..." I squeezed my eyes shut as I felt the burn of tears.

"An' idea o' where 'e coul' be?" Connor asked, rubbing my back with one hand, his other running gently through my hair as I cried into his chest.

Murphy sighed. "No. Et's like 'e jus' dis'ppeared."

"Ye call Bloo' o' th' fellas?"

Murphy shook his head. "No. Bee' tryin' ta kee' Ava cal'. Dis es th' firs' time she le' me ge' u'. Shoul' ge' ba' ou' dere."

Connor nodded. "Go 'ead. I go' dis one."

Murphy left the kitchen, leaving Connor and I alone. "Et's goin' ta be alrigh', Kher."

"Where is he?" I whispered, my hands fisting in his shirt.

"We wi' fin' ou'. 'e coul'n' 'ave gone fa'," he reasoned.

"Someone took him," I told him.

"Wha' makes ye say dat?"

"Connor, he wouldn't just _leave_. He's 8! He loves his mom. He loves me. He adores you and Murphy. He has no reason to go anywhere," I explained, taking a step back.

He cocked his head to the side. "So wha' are ye tinkin'?"

I rubbed my hands over my face. "I don't know. I don't know what to think. I just know that he was kidnapped. I can feel it." I glanced towards the doorway. "I have to go see Ava... I have to make sure she's okay." I quickly walked back into the living room. Murphy was on the couch with Ava, holding her as she sobbed into his shoulder.

"Shhh, et's goin' ta be alrigh'," Murphy soothed, looking up at me, a light of panic behind his expression. "Kher's here. Ye wan' ta si' wi' 'er a spell?" he asked.

I sat on the couch on the other side of her, gently laying my hand on her shoulder. "Ava," I choked out over the lump in my throat.

She slowly turned to look at me, tracks of mascara running down her cheeks and her eyes red-rimmed and bloodshot. "Kherington..." she rasped. She turned her body to face me and grabbed my hand in both of hers. "Where's my little boy? Someone took my baby."

I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her to my side. I tucked her head under my chin and gently rubbed her arm. "We're gonna find him," I assured her, ignoring the tears that coursed down my own cheeks. Murphy stood up from the couch and walked over to where Connor stood, leaning in the doorway of the kitchen. They started muttering to each other in Gaelic, occasionally glancing at us on the couch as I gently rocked Ava, trying to calm her down as she cried.

"Why would someone do this?" Ava muttered through her tears. "He's just a child."

I bit my lower lip and squeezed my eyes shut. "We need to call the police," I told her. I turned towards the boys. "Call Duffy. Please."

Murphy nodded and walked to the kitchen to grab the phone. Connor stayed watching us, a look of deep concentration on his face, his arms crossed over his chest.

Ava pulled away from me, her face red. She stood up from the couch and stepped away from me.

"Ava, what are you doing?" I asked. "Where are you going?"

She shook her head. "I can't deal with this," she whispered, squeezing her hands into fists. "I need to lie down." She walked away and disappeared into her room, shutting the door.

I bit my lower lip and looked up at Connor. "Conn..." I croaked, my lower lip trembling.

He walked over and sat beside me on the couch, lacing his fingers with mine. "We're goin' ta fin' 'im," he promised, bringing my hand to his mouth and brushing his lips over my knuckles. "Noting es goin' ta 'appen ta little Aiden. No' wi' me an' Murph 'roun'."

Murphy walked out of the kitchen. "Duffy's o' 'is way." He looked around the living room. "Ava?" he asked, looking back at me.

Connor nodded his head towards her bedroom door. "Layin' dow'."

Murphy gave a nod, heading to the door. "Le' me kno' whe' 'e's 'ere," he said before disappearing into the room, not waiting for a response.

* * *

**AN3:**

Lucy: Yes! You finally know about the tattoo! Ha! And I do that same thing when I need to read something at work and I shouldn't be! Mine hiding place is a file room, haha. I'm so glad you take the time to read and review and I don't mind you repeatedly telling me that you think the story is great! I'm sure it's not perfect, but if you have no criticism, I'll take your love and excitement about it. ;-) You're pretty awesome as well and I love you! And, I know right? I would be practically singing opera having sex with Connor, no joke! ;-)

Alessandra: Thank you! I know... I think that Conn, Murph, and Kher are taking that for granted and not considering the fact that something could happen to Ava and Aiden. They probably should have brought them to the bar. But we shall see. I'm glad you liked the Romeo part! I keep trying to remember to throw in his comic relief! I'm thrilled that it seemed to work out! And seriously, I love your reviews! I mean, obviously I love that you love the story (and me, haha) but I really love the fact that you put in your reactions to what I wrote and let me know EXACTLY what you loved about it! It just makes me feel like things are working and that writing this story is even more worth it! And same! Your replies totally brighten my days! I look forward to how you feel about this chapter and I love youuuuuuuu! :) :) :)


	15. Hurricane

**Author's Note:** Hello again. Next installment in the ConKher saga. Thanks for sticking with me. I never thought this would be so fun, haha. Thank you for reading/reviewing/favoriting/alerting. It's really pretty awesome. Biggest thanks of all to... **coffee-ink-fire, Valerie E. Mackin, iforgiveyou, "Anonnie", SilverMoonlit, SaraLostInes, "Lucy", blondiegirl17, BlueMoonSaint, "Alessandra"**... you all are just the best. Seriously. Awesome.

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Hurricane is 30 Seconds to Mars (feat. Kanye West). Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 15 (Hurricane):**

"_Tell me would you kill to save a life... tell me would you kill to prove you're right... crash, crash, burn... let it all burn... this hurricane's chasing us all underground..."_

"That's all you know?"

I looked up at Duffy, my eyes tired. "I told you, I wasn't here. You have to talk to Ava."

He sighed and leaned back in the kitchen chair, his notepad resting on the table. "She won't talk. She's practically catatonic. Anything I got from her was through Murphy. And when he tried to come out here with us, she was to the point of hysteria."

"Losing your son can do that," I pointed out.

Duffy shook his head. "Least you still have your sarcasm," he pointed out.

"So, wha' are ye tinkin'?" Connor asked from beside me, folding his hands on the table top in front of him.

Duffy rubbed a hand over his face, his fingers lingering over his stubble in thought. "Well, looking at Aiden's room, getting in through his window would be next to impossible." He flipped his notepad open to a crude sketch of the apartment and pointed his pen towards Aiden's room. "There's no fire escape, no ledge. Just wall. Not only that, the window was locked." He moved his hand back to his chin, scratching it absently. "Does anyone have a key to the apartment or have any sort of access to one do you know?" he asked, looking at me.

I bit my lower lip and drummed my fingers against the table. "Well... as far as I know, Ava only gave a key to me. And obviously the building has one for the building manager or whatever."

"You still have your key?"

I stood and walked over to the coffee table where I had dropped my keys when I came in. I grabbed the only gold one on the ring and lifted it. "Right here."

"Did you lose it at anytime?" he asked.

"Wha' are ye getting' a'?" Connor asked, narrowing his eyes.

Duffy sighed. "The only way someone got into this apartment undetected is if they had a key. The fire escape is at Ava's window and her window is locked as well, no forced entry of any kind. All the other windows have absolutely no access, unless you have a damn firetruck."

I sat down at the table and fixed Duffy with a look. "Just say it, Brian," I told him.

Duffy sighed. "I'm thinking Stefano managed to get access to your key at one point and made a copy and was saving it until he had use for it. He probably did the same with your entire set of keys, so if you have a key to a place? It's not safe. It's definitely not secure."

The silence that filled the apartment was almost suffocating. "So… this is my fault," I muttered, my nails digging into the wood of the table.

Connor shook his head. "No, et's no'."

Duffy nodded in agreement. "He's right, Kher. It was only a matter of time before something would have happened. You couldn't have predicted this would happen."

"I brought him into their lives," I hissed, fresh tears pooling in my eyes. "I let him be around Aiden for God's sake."

"We don't know for sure that Stefano is the one that did this," Duffy interjected. "You asked what I was thinking and I told you. It wasn't meant to make you beat yourself up, Kherington. There's still a possibility that he ran away. Maybe looking for you or Connor or something."

I shook my head. "We all know that's bullshit. This is Stefano's way of sending a message. Even if he's not the one that did the dirty work, he orchestrated it." I stood up and violently pushed myself away from the table.

"Where ye goin'?" Connor asked, rising to his feet, reaching out and grabbing my wrist to stop me.

"The bathroom."

"Don' tink ye shoul' be 'lone righ' no'," he replied.

"I'm capable of using the restroom, Conn," I told him, ripping my arm from his grasp. "I don't need a babysitter for that."

He scowled. "'f yer no' ou' en fi' minutes, 'm comin' en."

"Whatever," I muttered, walking into the bathroom and shutting the door tight, turning the lock. I leaned over the sink, my hands gripping the porcelain, my head down as I struggled to get myself under control. I flinched when I felt my cell phone vibrate in my back pocket. I pulled it out and glanced at the screen.

**PRIVATE NUMBER CALLING**

I took a deep breath and pressed the TALK button, lifting the phone to my ear. "Hello, you've reached Kherington Harris."

"_Ah, Ms. Harris. Just the woman I was looking for…"_

I sucked in a breath at the scratchy Italian accented voice. "Who is this?" I asked, lifting my eyes to stare at myself in the mirror.

"_Uh, uh, uh," _they tutted. _"I don't think you're in any sort of position to make demands, my dear."_

I swallowed, my hand gripping the phone. "What do you want?"

"_I want a lot of things."_

"Why are you calling me?" I hissed, moving to the door and resting my hand on the knob.

"_I believe I have something that you may be missing," _he replied. I heard the rustle of movement on the other end of the line. My hand flew to my mouth and I choked back a sob as I heard Aiden's voice. He sounded okay, just confused. There was more movement. _"Am I right?" _the voice continued, back on the phone.

"What do you _want_?" I growled.

"_You need to calm down. I wouldn't want to… damage… anything, now would I?"_

I squeezed my eyes shut. "Please. Whatever you want, I'll do it."

The voice chuckled. "_That's a girl. I think you know where I am. I need you to be here in an hour. Do NOT tell anyone where you're going. And I will know if you do, so I wouldn't risk it. I can promise you that you won't like the result."_

The phone clicked as the call was disconnected. I slowly lowered the phone from my ear and looked in the mirror, my eyes wide with terror. I gagged and bent over the toilet as my stomach rolled. I dry heaved as I felt myself sinking under a blanket of panic. When nothing escaped my stomach, I took a deep breath and stood up straight, moving back to the sink. I took a deep breath and turned on the faucet, letting the cool water run. I splashed water on my face trying to calm myself down. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," I muttered under my breath. I whipped my head towards the door when there was a quick knock.

"Kher?" Connor called through the door. "Ye alrigh'?"

I took another deep breath and pulled open the door, forcing a smile. "No, but who would be, right?"

He gave me a look of concern. "'eard ye talkin' en dere… Ye sure yer alrigh'?"

I shrugged. "Work. They need me to grab some stuff from the office, so I'm gonna run out for a bit."

"I'll go wi' ye," he offered.

I shook my head. "No need. In and out. You should stay here, figure things out with Brian and Murphy."

"I don' tink et's wise fer ye ta be 'lone righ' no'," he told me again.

I rolled my eyes and kissed his cheek. "I'll be 30 minutes," I lied.

Detective Duffy looked up from his notepad. "Kherington, it's best if we all stay here, figure something out. I'm sure whatever it is can wait."

I shook my head. "That's _your_ job. I'm not a cop and I've told you everything I know. Haven't I given you enough?"

He looked slightly taken aback. "Kherington, I'm trying to protect you and fix this."

I took a deep breath and rubbed my hands over my face. "Look, I'm just going to go to my office and grab a couple documents and then I'll be back. I don't want or need a baby-sitter. I appreciate all the concern, but it's unnecessary."

Connor shook his head. "Et's no' 'bout ye 'avin' a sitter, as it were. 'f Aiden's no' safe, th' res' o' us aren' either, 'specially ye."

I sighed. "Look, I just really want to be alone for a little bit, okay? Let me do this and then you can have someone glued to me at all time. Please."

Connor crossed his arms over his chest. "I don' like et."

I shrugged. "I'm not asking you to like it. Just let me do this and then I'll do whatever you want. No complaints, I promise."

"Yer bein' stubbor'. Actin' like a chil'."

I snorted and resisted the urge to look at my watch. "That doesn't mean you need to act like my father."

Connor scowled and glanced at Duffy. "Wha' do ye tink?"

The detective sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. "I'm with you, but I've worked with her long enough to know she's not going to back down until she gets her way. She probably can take care of herself though."

I snorted again. "You can stop talking about me like I'm not here."

Connor shook his head. "Don' like et an' I don' 'gree wit' et, bu' fi'. Ye go straigh' ta yer office an' den ba' 'ere."

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, daddy," I replied, moving to walk past him.

He reached out and grabbed my arm. "Be careful," he told me, his eyes boring into mine. "I mea' et."

I nodded and kissed him quickly. "I will. Be back soon."

He frowned but nodded and let me go. I quickly grabbed my keys off the coffee table and made my way out of the apartment. I glanced at my watch and let out a sigh. I still had 45 minutes, but I had to make it across town to the Prudential building. I was going to be cutting it close. I jogged down the stairs and out of the building. I tried to stay relaxed and glanced up at Ava's apartment window. Connor stood, his arms crossed over his chest, watching me, concern etched over his features. I exhaled a deep breath and stopped at the curb holding out my hand for a cab. I breathed a sigh of relief when a cab pulled up. I opened the back door and slid in, feeling Connor's gaze on me.

The cabbie glanced in the rearview mirror. "Whe-rah yah awf ta?" he asked in a thick Boston accent.

I pulled $50 out of my back pocket. "I need to go to the Pru. Quick as you possibly can please."

He looked surprised. "Yaw ovahpayen me," he told me.

I shot him a look in the mirror. "Consider it a tip and go."

He shrugged. "Yaw gawt it," he replied, putting the car into drive and darting back into traffic.

* * *

The cab pulled away as I stood on the sidewalk, staring up at the Prudential in all its elegance. I took a deep breath and approached the door, my hands shoved in my pockets. The cab ride had taken close to forty minutes. I grit my teeth as my phone vibrated again in my back pocket. Connor had started calling and texting exactly thirty minutes after I left. I pulled the phone out of my pocket.

***SIX MISSED CALLS***

***TWELVE TEXT MESSAGES***

I took a deep breath and turned off the phone, shoving it back into my pocket. I pulled open the door and shivered as a blast of air hit me. I quickly crossed to the elevator and stepped inside, pressing the button for the 40th floor. I crossed my arms over my chest and tapped my foot as the elevator dinged at each floor. My brain was flying a mile a minute, but I couldn't focus. I had to save Aiden... but I just didn't know how. I jumped when the elevator stalled at the 40th floor, the doors sliding open. I looked up to see Stefano standing at the doors, a smirk over his face. His nose was bruised as well as both eyes from his fight with Connor. His eyes held a glint to them that I had never seen before.

"Knew if we called, you'd come," he told me, holding out his hand.

I glanced down at it, before meeting his eyes again and stepping out of the elevator, avoiding his touch. "I know you're not the one who called me," I murmured, pressing myself against the wall.

He tilted his head to the side. "Can't even say hello to your love?" he asked, a note of sarcasm in his tone. He glanced down at my left hand and snorted. "Well, I see your 'friend' didn't waste any time," he snarled, his gaze locked on the diamond.

I clenched my hand into a fist, moving my hand behind my back. "You don't know what you're talking about," I whispered.

He rolled his eyes and grabbed my elbow, shoving me along. "I told you, I'm not a Goddamn idiot, so don't treat me like one," he hissed, his fingers digging painfully into my arm as he dragged me into the penthouse. I stumbled, trying to drag my feet as he walked to a speaker box, pressing a button. "The package has arrived," he said with a grin before lifting his finger and turning to face me.

I glared at him, trying to pull my arm from his iron grip. "Let me go," I hissed.

"All in good time, Kherington," he replied.

I turned my head to my right as the door slid open and swallowed heavily as Concezio Yakavetta stepped out, holding Aiden's hand. "Well, well, nice to finally meet you Ms. Harris," he growled at me, an evil glint in his eye to match his grin.

* * *

**AN2:**

Anonnie: It was quite the little mix wasn't it? I really hope Connor wasn't too OOC, sometimes I worry that he is. Awe, I'm not so great, am I? Haha. You're amazing as well. :) We shall see if there are any consequences from this little romp o' there's. And yes, this whole Aiden situation needs to be squared away STAT. We shall see what happened. And if I can throw a little more smut in, I shall. I need to get my smut writing practice on, haha. Thank you for the review. You're awesomeeeee!

Lucy: I probably should have warned you about that, huh? I said I was going to, haha. Oops! You make me smile. :-D

Alessandra: Haha, you're too smart for your own good! When I read your last review I was like "Ruh roh! She knowwwwws!" Haha, I think it is hilarious how much you HATE Stefano. And you have hated him the whole time. Bahahahaha. And wouldn't that just be the best wake up call ever? Seriously, I would be happy just to look at him, but to have that? I'll keep it clean, but I think you know what I'm thinking. ;-) And if it was _both_ of them? Sweet baby Jesus. Holy... bah. And yes, ConKher has had quite the reunion, hehehe. Yeah, Ava has it pretty tough right now, but Murphy is doing the best he can. Both boys are trying to be there for their lasses. I support a trip to Ireland to browse for hot Irish twins. Let's do this! Yesssssss! Glad you loved it and I hope you continue to. And... I LOVE YOUUUUUUUU! :)


	16. Flowers for a Ghost

**Author's Note:** Mis amigas (perhaps amigos, but I'm going with the idea that ladies are reading this more then fellas...). I know, I'm the worst. I stuck you with that cliffhanger and then I took longer to post than usual. Terrible person. Work has been crazy (again, excuses) and I didn't want to be one of those people that gets readers all excited posting a new chap and then it turns out to be an Author's Note and it's like "AHHHH! TRICKS! LIES AND FALLACIES!" I'm babbling. Bah. Anyway, here is a chapter. I know it's a little short. I think I'm slightly bi-polar because I loved the angle the story was going like 3 days ago and now I'm all "I don't knooooowwwww!" Feel kinda like I've painted myself into a corner. Thoughts? Comments? Help? Ha. It may take me a little longer to get chapters out over the next few days between life (always gets in the way!) and just looking at the story and making sure I'm giving you guys my absolute best. Be patient with me. Anyway, enough of me. Thank you to those who have read/reviewed/faved/alerted. Special thanks (and cookies... and fireworks... and hugs...) to... **"SilverMoonlit", "Anonnie", BlueMoonSaint, iforgiveyou, Valerie E. Mackin, Panicking at a Disco, XakibaphoxX, coffee-ink-fire, "Alessandra", "Lucy"**... Your reviews are the best part of my day.

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Flowers for a Ghost is Thriving Ivory. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 16 (Flowers for a Ghost):**

"_Who will I belong to, when the day just won't give in... and who will tell me how it ends, and how it all begins... don't ever say goodbye... I'm only human..."_

"Aunt Kher!"

I watched in shock as Concezio let go of Aiden's hand and the little boy ran to me, throwing his arms around my neck.

"Hey, bubba," I whispered, my eyes locked on the mafia don that I had never actually met until that moment. "You okay?"

Aiden buried his face in my neck as I stood, holding him tightly. "I want to go home," he whimpered.

"I know, buddy, me too," I murmured, closing my eyes as tears stung.

Concezio cleared his throat. My eyes shot open and I held Aiden closer, unsure of what was about to happen. "Thank you, Stefano. You're dismissed."

Stefano scowled in response. "With all due respect, boss, I think I earned my right to be here. And I have a few things to say to Kherington."

Concezio frowned. "I don't think I care about what you did or didn't 'earn' and I care even less about what you think you have to say to Ms. Harris," he replied, a scathing tone to his voice. "It's about time that she and I had a private conversation. So, as I said, you are _dismissed_."

Stefano's scowled deepened and he turned his glare on me. "We are not finished," he hissed before walking to the other side of the room.

I swallowed and turned to face Concezio, my eyes wide. He gave me a wide smile, dripping with malice as he pressed a button, the door to his personal lair sliding open. He motioned for me to enter. "After you."

I held Aiden as close as I possibly could and carefully walked into the room, keeping my eyes on Concezio the whole time, as if he could strike at any moment. Aiden whimpered quietly at my discomfort, his fingers gripping my hair. "It's okay, bubba," I muttered. "Nothing's gonna happen to you."

"Where's mama?" he whined.

I bit my lower lip as I felt the moisture of his tears on my neck. "You'll see her soon," I promised.

Concezio followed us in, letting the door slide shut behind us, encasing us in a room with what appeared to be stainless steel walls. He gestured to a wine colored couch. "Please. Have a seat."

I backed up, my eyes on him, carefully sitting down on the sofa. He pulled up a chair across from me, sitting down. He loosened his tie and rested his right ankle on his left knee. He took his time looking me over. I shuddered under his gaze, but there was nothing intimate or lustful in his stare; it was as though he was simply taking inventory. "So... you're the pretty little thing that's been attempting to cause so much trouble."

"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about," I replied.

Concezio snapped his fingers twice. A man appeared from the shadows. "Jimmy," Concezio snapped. "Take the boy away. I need to speak to Ms. Harris privately. I don't think the conversation would be appropriate for such young ears"

I shook my head furiously and tightened my hold on Aiden. "No."

He rolled his eyes in reply. "If I wanted to do anything to the child, it would have happened already. But, if it makes you feel better, you have my word that he will be safe. Jimmy is just going to keep him company."

Jimmy walked over and pried Aiden from my arms. With his back to Concezio, he gave me what seemed to be a meaningful look and I could almost detect a note of sympathy. "Aunt Kher! No! I want to stay! I want to stay with you!" Aiden cried, his hands grabbing for me, his little body trying to twist out of Jimmy's grip. I reached for him, my fingers grazing his hands, but froze at the sudden click of a safety on a gun. My eyes darted to Concezio and he calmly had a gun trained on me, aimed for the center of my head. "Let him go," he ordered. "I have plans and I'd hate to see them ruined because you cannot follow simple instructions."

I lowered my hands to my lap in defeat and forced myself not to look in Aiden's direction as he was dragged kicking and screaming into the shadows, disappearing into another deeper room. I couldn't save anyone if I was dead. I swallowed and trained my eyes on Concezio.

He smirked and clicked the safety back on, setting the gun beside him on a table. "That's a girl," he purred.

"What do you want?" I whispered, my hands digging into my knees.

He waved his hand in the air, dismissing my question. "All in good time. And I'll ask the questions, if you don't mind."

I clenched my teeth and sunk my fingers into my thighs, waiting for him to continue. He leaned forward, regarding me carefully. "Did you really think you were going to get one over on me?" he finally asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I replied.

He smirked. "Oh, I think you know exactly what I'm saying." He leaned back in his chair. "I may not have had the pleasure of your company until now, but that doesn't mean I haven't known what you've been up to." He paused for a moment. "So you're going to give me the silent treatment, hmmm?"

I folded my hands in my lap. "I didn't think I really had to respond to that."

He chuckled. "Well, how about you respond to this… what was your big 'plan'?" he asked, raising his hands in air quotes.

"My big plan for what?" I questioned.

"That's cute. Playing dumb."

I shook my head. "I'm not playing dumb. I'm honestly not sure what you're referring to."

He leaned forward. "You weren't dating one of my men for kicks. What were you looking to achieve?"

I shrugged. "Maybe I was just interested in his money."

He chuckled. "You _will_ give me the answers I want; I can do this all day if you want to talk in circles."

"What do you _want_ with me?" I asked, twirling my thumbs. "What do you want with Aiden?"

He rubbed his hands over his chin. "I'll be honest, I really don't want the boy. At least not yet. Regardless of what you may think of me, I'd never hurt a child. But he was… how shall I put this… a sort of collateral, if you will."

"What does that mean?" I asked.

He smirked. "I wanted to make it seem like your boys had a choice, if you will."

"A choice?" I asked, my stomach dropping.

"Let me explain, since I'm such a nice guy…" He stood up, indicating this was going to be quite the explanation. "I want the Saints. Preferably dead. But they're slippery little fuckers, as I'm sure you're quite aware."

"What do you want with them?" I asked quietly. My head whipped to the side as he struck my cheek with a resounding slap, my skin feeling as though it burst into fire. I blinked back the tears of pain that stung at my eyes as he grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him. His fingers dug into the skin with a grip that was so tight, it felt like he was holding the bone itself.

"I want to make them pay for killing my father and nearly destroying an empire," he hissed, his eyes ablaze. He took a deep breath and let go of my chin before continuing. "Those two Irish fucks burst in and act as though they're the hand of God. Fuck that, they're no better than anyone else." He scoffed and shook his head in disgust. "Saints. Bullshit." He sat back down, grabbing the gun from the table, tossing it from hand to hand absently. "So, I made a vow that day in the courtroom when I watched them murder my father… they would one day pay. I knew I had to bide my time, couldn't act too rashly. Not only that, I had to work to rebuild what those two attempted to destroy. Then, they vanished. Not a trace. But I knew they couldn't stay away forever." His eyes raked over me and he smirked. "Too much unfinished business, if you will." I wrapped my arms around me tightly, trying to make myself as small as possible. "But that was alright. I've always been a patient man. And slowly, pieces started falling into place. They started accumulating things that they could lose, that I could take away."

"Such as?" I whispered.

"Well, obviously, there's you and your bitch of a friend. But you were always the easier one. They gained a father. And how wonderful that will be when I can do to them _exactly_ what they did to me. And then one of those bastards has a son? Perfecto."

"And what's the choice?"

He laughed and I cringed. "That's what makes this all so beautiful! They'll have to choose between the two things they refuse to go after! A woman… or a child. And we all know they'll choose to save the child, leaving you behind to my own… devices."

I swallowed audibly as a shudder ran through me.

"Especially since the child belongs to the darker haired twin," he continued. "The lighter would give up _everything_ to make sure his brother doesn't lose. Even if that means he does. Not that it matters in the long run. Because they'll both lose everything anyway. First, I take away any person that means anything to them. Then, I'll make one watch as I kill the other. And then torturing and killing the remaining brother."

"I thought you said you'd never hurt a child," I murmured.

He smirked. "That little boy is young enough that once I get rid of all of you, I can mold him to exactly what I need him to be. A soldier of sorts."

"You just have it all planned out, don't you?"

He smirked. "Couldn't do it without you, dear," he told me. "You played right into my hand, as I knew you would. So I thank you for that."

"What makes you think they'll do what you want them to?" I asked quietly, my cheek throbbing.

"Human nature is a funny thing. Makes people predictable." He walked into the shadows, disappearing from sight for an agonizingly long minute. When he reappeared I stiffened in fear when I saw he was holding rope between his hands. "Get in the chair," he ordered.

I shook my head and moved to dart away, but quick as a snake, he snarled and reached out, snatching my arm in his grasp, yanking me towards him. I yelped when he pulled so hard, my shoulder popped out of socket, pain shooting down my arm. I ground my molars together trying to ignore the pain as he threw me into the chair that he had been sitting in, the force causing the chair to screech as it slid against the floor. "You have to do your own dirty work?" I ground out, trying to seem tougher than we both knew I was.

"Sometimes if you want things done right, you have to do it yourself," he hissed back, quickly tying me to the chair, the rope cutting into my wrists before moving to tie each ankle to a chair leg, keeping them spread. My shoulder throbbed painfully as it was wrenched back and I bit back a sob.

He finally stood back, almost as if to admire his handiwork. "Oh, this is going to be fun," he purred. He pulled at the rope, testing their give. "Perfect," he muttered when it was clear I had no means of escape. He glanced at his watch. "Well, I have an appointment."

I watched in horror as he snapped his fingers and two of his enforcers emerged from the shadows. Where were they all coming from?

"Alonzo, Umberto," he greeted. "Why don't you make our guest a little more… comfortable?" He disappeared out the door.

An evil smirk spread over the larger man. "Well, Lonnie, what do you think we should do first?" he asked, pulling a knife from his pocket and flicking it open, running his thumb over the blade, testing it's sharpness.

Alonzo gave me a sickening leer. "Well, Bert, I can think of a few things that I'd like to do with this one."

I swallowed heavily, praying to Connor and Murphy's God that I would be unconscious soon and Aiden was too far away to see or hear what was about to happen.

* * *

**AN2:**

SilverMoonlit: You probably hate me for this cliffy too... sigh... It just seems like a good stopping point. Don't hate me! Ha! It does make you come back though... right...? ;-)

Anonnie: I'm a jerk. And we shall see what Connor and Murphy decide to do. :) I'm glad that my smut writing is up to par with you, haha. I need to figure out a way to write it without feeling like I'm getting redundant, haha. So I have to write BDS stories for eternity? I better start getting ideas! All ConnKher, Murva (that's a stupid name... I'll stick with Murphy/Ava) or should I get other ideas? We shall see. ;-) You're the best.

Alessandra: Yeah... Kher isn't thinking it through but... It's Aiden! Poor Conn. But yes, this does set them up for some sort of showdown which I know you have been waiting for. ;-) I don't think you'll be completely happy with me until Stefano is dead and ConKher have little babies running around everywhere, haha. And yes, yes, yes, yes! Want to have both of those boys in my bed STAT! Let's get our plane tickets and passports ready! Ireland trip! Haha. And love you lots! :) :) :)

Lucy: Deep breaths, stay calm! You know I won't keep you hanging forever! I love that you're so addicted, haha. It's just awesome. I'm glad that it comes across like you're watching instead of reading, but I hope it's not reading too dialogue heavy. Poor little Aiden. Ava's gotta get her little boy! Bah! :)


	17. Seven Devils

**Author's Note:** So, I think I know what my issue is. I was looking over MTGOF and I realized that it had so many fun scenes in it and interaction between my four main characters. This story hasn't had as many fun scenes and it's mostly ConKher (whom I love), but I like the playful banter and Murphy's occasional comic relief. And I probably should have really gone against the grain and kept Rocco alive. Ha. So that's my rant against myself and my revelation. I'm going to have to try to fix this. Moving on... hi! I think this is the chapter some people have been waiting for (not as much as ConKher reuniting, but you get the drift). Hope you like it. Obligatory thank you to the readers/reviewers/favoriters/alerters. Big hugs and kisses toooooo... **Valerie E. Mackin, gurl3677, iforgiveyou, "Anonnie", BlueMoonSaint, "Lucy", SilverMoonlit, Panicking at a Disco, coffee-ink-fire, "Alessandra"**... Fabulous. Simply FAAAAAABULOUS!

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Seven Devils is Florence+the Machine. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 17 (Seven Devils):**

"_Holy water… cannot help you now… see I've come to burn, your kingdom down… and no rivers and no lakes can put the fire out… I'm gonna raise the stakes… I'm gonna smoke you out…"_

"Wake up."

I was jerked back to consciousness by a light slap on my cheek. I winced at the different points of pain on my body reminding me that this wasn't all some bad dream, my head swimming. I took a deep, breath and lifted my gaze to meet Concezio's.

"Buongiorno, bella," he greeted with a smirk, standing over me, his arms crossed over his chest. "Aren't you an array of beautiful colors today? Like a painting."

I scowled, trying not to wince at the pain. "Fuck you," I hissed.

"Now, now, that's not very nice. I thought the boys went easy on you." He gave me a cursory once over. "Not too much blood… doesn't look like any bones are broken." He smirked. "They must like you. Held back a little."

"Lucky me," I grunted, trying to shift and crying out when the pins and needles feeling shot through my limbs from lack of movement. I knew I had to be a sight, even without Concezio's 'compliments'. My shoulder was still out of socket and throbbing. Every inch of exposed skin had either a bruise or a line of blood. My lips were chapped, my bottom lip swollen and bloody from biting it to keep from crying out at the pain. Luckily, it felt like my worst injury was my shoulder. He was right, it didn't seem like I had any broken bones. I shook my head and blinked up at Concezio, realizing he had been speaking as I took inventory of my injuries.

"I figured we could have another chat," he told me, having a seat on his plush couch.

I spat on the floor, cringing when I saw the reddish tint. "About what?" I growled.

He grimaced. "Now that's just not ladylike," he reprimanded.

"Apparently you don't think of me as a lady or you wouldn't be treating me like this," I shot back.

He raised an eyebrow. "I just like to repay people in kind, regardless of gender."

I didn't respond, trying to think of how long I could possibly last like this, how long he would let me last. I swallowed, wincing again as pain shot through me. Connor and Murphy would be coming… they had planned to before this all happened.

"How long have I been here?" I rasped, my eyes meeting Concezio's.

He smirked. "Why? Hot date?" he asked sarcastically.

"Something like that…"

"And here I thought we were having such a nice time." He glanced at his watch. "Little less than a day. Time just flies when you're having fun!"

I tried to add up the time in my head. Connor had said forty-eight hours when they had been planning at McGinty's. We had found out about Aiden maybe 10 hours after that. My brain started to throb as I strained to put all of the lost time together. They could show up at any time at this point, especially if they had managed to put everything together, figure out that Duffy's theory had been correct. I bit my lower lip, ignoring the taste of iron that burst over my tongue.

"Seem to be thinking awfully hard there," Concezio commented, breaking into my thoughts. "Hoping your boys will think of a way to save both of you?"

I glared at him, keeping my mouth shut.

He waved his hand in the air. "No matter, I'm ready for them."

"What does that mean?"

He tsked. "Now, now, it seems that I keep giving you information, but I'm not getting anything in return. Does that seem fair to you?"

"Doesn't seem to matter what I think."

He chuckled and wagged a finger at me. "You see, I don't want to, but I like your spunk. I can see how you keep people on their toes."

Suddenly, there was a beep. "Concezio, they're here," a voice said, filling the room. I glanced over and saw a television screen I hadn't noticed before, Paulino's face filling it.

He sighed. "I'll be out in five. Keep them occupied." He stretched and stood. "Guess we'll have to put this conversation on hold."

"Where's Aiden?" I asked, pulling against my bounds.

Concezio sighed. "Jimmy!"

Jimmy appeared from the shadows, dragging Aiden with him. "Boss?"

"Leave the boy with Ms. Harris. You and I have business to attend to."

Jimmy nodded and let Aiden go. The little boy immediately ran over to me and climbed onto my lap. I bit back a cry of pain as he snuggled into me.

Concezio and Jimmy disappeared through the door as it slid shut behind them, leaving us alone.

"Aiden, are you okay?" I rasped. I rubbed my chin against the top of his head, my only means of offering comfort.

He nodded, wrapping his little arms around my neck. "Aunt Kher, what happened to you? You're hurt!"

I winced as his every fidget sent jolts of pain through my senses. "I'm fine, are you okay? Did Jimmy hurt you?"

He pulled back, his eyes wide, shaking his head. "No. Aunt Kher, Jimmy's stuck here like we are."

I swallowed, a flicker of hope rising within me. "Aiden, what did he say to you?"

"He said that he was forced to be here. That he doesn't like Mr. Yaka. That he's mean."

I regarded Aiden for a moment. That sounded too good to be true. I shook my head and moved slightly, trying to find a comfortable position. I almost let out a sob of relief when I felt my cell phone was still in my back pocket. "Aiden, I need you to do something for me… can you help me?"

He nodded slowly.

"Okay, I need you to get off of me so I can move a little."

He shook his head. "No, I don't want to leave you."

"Aiden, you don't have to leave, I just need you to stand in front of me, alright?"

He slowly let go and slid off my lap, looking up at me.

I forced a smile. "Good. Okay, go behind me."

He walked behind me and stopped, waiting for my next instruction. "What now, Aunt Kher?"

"You're doing so good, bud," I told him. "I'm gonna try to lift myself a little and I need you to reach into my back pocket and get my phone, alright?"

"Okay."

I took a deep breath and clenched my teeth as I attempted to lift myself off the chair. I squeezed my eyes shut as pain shot through my veins. I barely felt Aiden slide his hand into my pocket and manage to pull out my phone through the red haze behind my eyelids, the pain almost blinding.

"Got it!" he cheered.

I collapsed my weight against the chair, breathing heavily. "Good… job," I panted. I inhaled deeply. "Alright… you know which one the power button is, right?" I sighed in relief as I heard the chime of my phone coming on. "Lift the phone where I can see it."

Aiden appeared in front of my face, lifting the phone to eye level.

***135 TEXT MESSAGES***

***VOICEMAIL BOX IS FULL***

I glanced at the door nervously before turning my attention back to Aiden. "Okay buddy, now I need you to come back on my lap with the phone." I held my breath as he climbed onto my thighs, trying to ignore how painful it was. "Alright, press the little house button and then the little book." He did as he was told. "You see where it says Conn? C-O-N-N?" I asked. He nodded. "Press it and then put the phone to my ear."

He pressed the button and then pressed the phone to my left ear. Connor picked up in the middle of the second ring.

"'_ello?" _he answered, his voice tense and cautious.

I swallowed heavily as relief coursed through me at the sound of his voice. "Conn," I murmured, squeezing my eyes shut.

"_Oh tank de Lor' en 'eaven," _he breathed. _"Where are ye? Are ye alrigh'?"_

"I'm fine," I lied. "Aiden's with me."

"_Ye foun' 'im? Why 'as yer phone bee' off? Where are ye?"_

"One question at a time…" I hesitated as I heard the sound of wind in the background. "Wait, what are you doing?"

"_Fuck ye an' yer shtupid rope an' yer e'en shtupider plans," _I heard Murphy hiss in the background.

"Connor, where are you?"

"_Kher, tell me where ye are an' I will fin' ye aft' we're done 'ere."_

"I'm at the Pru."

He hesitated. _"Well… I gue' I'll be seein' ye soo' den," _he replied. The phone clicked, the call disconnected.

"Connor!" I hissed. I shook my head. "Okay Aiden, you hold onto that phone, alright? If it rings, you answer it."

"What did Uncle Connor say? Are he and daddy gonna help us?" he asked, his eyes wide.

I swallowed. "I hope so, bud." I glanced over at the television screen that gave a view of the rest of the penthouse. Concezio walked around a table, giving orders to men that I had never seen before. The rest of his men, Stefano, Paulino, Jimmy, Umberto, Alonzo and a handful of others were scattered around the room, listening as well. Suddenly, chaos erupted over the screen, the glass behind them shattering as Connor and Murphy slid into the room, guns blazing. Romeo crashed through the main door, opening fire. I could hear the soft ping of bullets as they impacted the steel door.

"Fuck," I gasped. I looked at Aiden. "Buddy, I need you to go to the corner of the room as far from the wall as you can, right now."

"But Aunt Kher, what about you?" he asked. "What's happening?"

I shook my head. "I'll be fine. Everthing is okay," I promised. "Just go!" He climbed off me and ran over to the corner. "Hands on your head and don't move til I say, okay?"

He nodded and curled up into a ball, his hands tight over his ears. I snapped my head towards the door as it slid open, bullets hitting the floor as Jimmy dived into the room, slamming shoulder first into the floor as the door slid shut behind him. He pulled himself to his feet and looked around the room, his eyes wide with fear. He felt all over himself, checking for bullet wounds. He let out a deep sigh of relief and collapsed on the floor, his back against the wall. He looked up at me, almost surprised that I was still there, as if he had forgotten. The sound of bullets stopped and I shuddered as I saw Concezio's face fill the screen, his expression a mix of terror and hatred. I turned my attention to Jimmy.

"You alright?" I asked.

"You care?" he replied.

"Depends on if you help me out of this or not," I countered.

Aiden ran over. "Please Jimmy! We need to get out of here!"

"Aiden!" I snapped. "I told you not to move til I told you to!"

He ignored me and looked at Jimmy with pleading eyes. "Please?"

Jimmy shook his head and walked over to me. He carefully untied the ropes, setting them to the side. "I'm sorry," he murmured.

I glanced up at him, wincing as I moved my still dislocated shoulder. "For what?"

"That I couldn't help you til now." He took a step back. "Can you stand?"

I carefully pulled myself to my feet, my hand gripping the back of the chair. "Are you gonna let me out?"

He looked at me apologetically. "I can't… I don't have the code."

I scowled. "Of course you don't," I muttered. "Why would it be that easy?" I glanced over at the screen. Romeo was walking around the room, checking each body, making sure they were all dead. Connor and Murphy stood behind Concezio, their guns to the back of his head. I watched their mouths move, knowing they were reciting their family prayer. I winced as I watched them both pull the trigger, firing into the back of the man's skull, making him fall forward. I approached the screen and watched Romeo stop in front of Stefano. Stefano's sweater was stained with blood, a sweater that I had bought him for his 40th birthday. I counted at least three gunshots to his chest. My jaw dropped as I saw him move. He wasn't dead. Not yet. I raised my good hand to my mouth as Romeo called over his shoulder to Connor and Murphy. Connor's eyes narrowed and his mouth curled into a snarl as he looked at the Italian. I wished I could hear what was being said, but I simply watched as Murphy grabbed his brother's wrist. They exchanged words before Murphy nodded slowly, letting Connor go. Romeo stepped back as my Irishman approached the Italian. He knelt beside him and grabbed the collar of his sweater, pulling him to his face. He held the gun to Stefano's temple and I could see the rage pouring off of Connor with each word he spat. I flinched as Stefano managed to gather the energy to spit blood into Connor's face. Connor chuckled and shook his head and fired two shots into Stefano's temple, letting the body drop to the ground before pulling the bottom of his shirt up to wipe his face. He glanced over at Murphy and gave a quick nod before pulling a handful of pennies from his pocket and moving to each corpse, the brothers quickly making their rounds, ritualizing the bodies.

Romeo moved around the room, seeming to be looking for something as Connor and Murphy finished. He yelled something to Connor, making him frown as he rose to his feet. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, quickly dialing a number and lifting the phone to his ear.

"This is Aunt Kherington's phone." I looked across the room to see Aiden holding my phone to his own ear.

Jimmy raised an eyebrow. "They didn't take your phone?"

"Apparently not," I replied as Aiden walked over, holding the phone up to me. I took it and held it gingerly to my own ear. "Hello?"

"_Where are ye?" _Connor growled.

"Walk over to the speaker box to your left and press the button," I told him.

I watched as he looked around the room, his gaze settling on the item I described. He hung up the phone and slipped it back in his pocket before approaching the box. He pressed the button carefully.

"Kher?"

"Hi."

I heard him suck in a breath as he took in my battered appearance. "'oly shi'. Ye tol' me ye were alrigh'," he muttered.

"Could be worse…" I replied.

"'ow do I ge' en dere?" he asked, looking around the box and screen, but his eyes always coming back to me. "Who's en dere wi' ye?"

"There's apparently a code… I don't know what it is," I told him, a note of hopelessness in my tone. "I have Aiden… and Jimmy, Yakavetta's lap dog."

He frowned. "'m goin' ta ge' ye ou' o' dere, alrigh'? Don' worry."

I swallowed and nodded, wincing as the motion pulled at a cut on my throat.

"Di' dat one 'urt ye?" he snarled.

"No… he's actually helped me. Don't do anything to him, okay?"

Connor scowled and didn't reply. I glanced back at Jimmy and he shot me a grateful look. "Thank you," he told me quietly. I shrugged in reply.

"Oi! Murph! Rome!" he hollered.

Murphy and Romeo looked up from their conversation "Aye?"

"Nee' yer 'elp. We nee' ta ge' dem ou' befer th' co's show."

The pair nodded at the request and walked over to join Connor at the screen. Murphy let out a hiss at my appearance. "Ye alrigh', Kher?"

"I'm alive," I replied quietly.

"You look a little like a battered piñata there, chica," Romeo observed.

Despite myself, I chuckled quietly. "Thanks, Romeo, you know how to make a girl feel good.

"Aiden…?" Murphy asked, his tone cautious.

Aiden ran over, shoving his face at the screen. "Dad! You found us!"

He gave a relieved smile. "I wi' always fin' ye, lad."

"Fuck!" Connor bellowed.

Romeo laid a hand on Connor's shoulder. "Let me take a look. Might be able to figure somethin' out."

Connor grit his teeth but nodded, stepping to the side. His eyes stayed locked on the screen. "We are goin' ta ge' ye ou' o' dere, alrigh'?"

I nodded slowly. Suddenly, I felt a wave of nausea and exhaustion come over me and I collapsed to the floor.

"Kher!" I heard Connor yell. "Ye alrigh'!?"

"Aunt Kher!" Aiden cried, his little body hovering over me.

I tried to reply, but couldn't as blackness clouded my vision and I passed out.

* * *

**AN2:**

_Anonnie_: I'm glad you like my attempt at a nickname for them, haha. Yeah... I do a lot of cliffies... I swear it's not intentional! I guess I made Connor and Murphy stick to what they're good at. It's really an epic scene though. So thanks Troy! If I can write BDS forever and ever, I totally will. Connor and Murphy are awfully fun to play with. And I am so flattered that you will follow me anywhere! As of now, the only other fandom I'd travel to is The Walking Dead so...

As for your PS... haha, I'm glad you actually enjoy my smut attempts, haha. I feel like a 12 year old trapped in like an 80 year old virgin's body when I write it. I need to try other positions (awkward...). But I am relieved when I do smut it up, it's not gratuitous and it actually makes sense. Also... SPOILER ALERT! I think there will end up being two more smut-tastic scenes if things go the way I think they might. You're welcome. :-p

_Lucy_: Nooooooooo! Don't die! And I like made up words... keeps things interesting! ;-) I'm glad you like my plot attempts, haha. Awe, you're pretty fabulous as well. Thank you for your help earlier today! Your assistance is what helped me post today, so thank you! And I love your excitement! :) :) :)

_Alessandra_: This chapter is totes for you, haha. I hope it meets your expectations. I'm totally into blue eyed Irish twins. I guess I better not get my expectations TOO high because they probably won't be exactly like Conn and Murph, haha. But oh what fun it would be... ;-) Seriously, love you forev. You are so amazingly wonderful and sweet. Your reviews always make my day. I will be so crushed if you don't leave me a review one day, haha.


	18. Your Guardian Angel

**Author's Note:** I totally vanished off the planet for a day or two. I wasn't able to get to get anywhere near a computer or the story. I apologize my friends! Back now with the next chapter! The one good thing about not being able to mess with the story means I was able to look at it with fresher eyes and work with it after a bit of separation. Hopefully you all still like it. ;-) Lots of love and thank yous to those who have read/reviewed/favorited/alerted. I appreciate it so much. Biggest thank yous of all to... **iforgiveyou, BlueMoonSaint, "Anonnie", "Rhanon Brodie", "Lucy", Valerie E. Mackin, SilverMoonlit, XakibaphoxX, "Alessandra", Panicking at a Disco**... Your reviews mean so, so much to me, I cannot even tell you. They are so encouraging and sweet and often times hilarious. If for no other reason, I am so glad I started putting stuff up here so I could realize what a community the fan fiction world truly is. So wonderful... and now that I have gotten sappy, we shall move on. ;-)

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Your Guardian Angel is Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 18 (Your Guardian Angel):**

"_I will never let you fall… I'll stand up with you forever… I'll be there for you through it all, even if saving you sends me to heaven… 'cause you're my… you're my… my true love… my whole heart… please don't throw that away…"_

My eyes shot open as it felt like my arm was on fire, pressure at my shoulder and my elbow. My body immediately went into fight mode, trying to escape the pain.

"Connor! 'ol' 'er dow'!" a heavy accented voice barked.

I felt hands on each side of my head and suddenly Connor's face appeared above me, our eyes locked. "Kher, ye go' ta jus' breathe, et will all be o'er soo'." I swallowed at the soft sound of Connor's voice in my ear. I tried to relax and focus on him. I shrieked with pain as suddenly my arm was jerked back into socket, tears spilling over my cheeks.

"Conn, it hurts," I whispered.

He smoothed his hand over my forehead and nodded. "I know." He looked up and I followed his gaze to an older man at my side who looked vaguely familiar. "Da, we 'ave ta ge' 'er ta a 'ospital."

'Da' shook his head. "Connor, ye know we can' do dat. An' 'et's jus' 'er shoulder. She'll be fi'."

"Ava ca' ge' us en," he argued. "We can' ge' 'er th' 'elp she nee's."

Da gave him a look. "Ye know dat we 'ave taken care o' worse den dis o' ourselves," he told his son, his tone stern.

"Bu'-"

"She will be fi', me boy. Trus' me."

Connor swallowed and looked back at me. "Ye ga' me qui' a scare," he murmured, his fingers gently ghosting over my cuts and bruises.

"Aiden…" I trailed off.

"'e's fine," Connor reassured me. "'e's wi' Murph an' Ava."

I winced as I felt the sting of alcohol on one of my cuts on my wrist.

"Da, I ca' take care o' th' rest," Connor said quietly, his eyes still locked with mine.

"Alrigh'," the elder MacManus replied, rising to his feet. The elder MacManus patted my hand gently. "I loo' ferwar' ta speakin' wi' ye, whe' ye are ready," he told me quietly. Without another word, he ducked out of the room, leaving Connor and I alone.

Connor sighed and pulled himself to his feet, walking to the bedside table and grabbing the alcohol and cotton balls. He knelt in the space previously vacated by his father and set the items to the side. "'m goin' ta take yer clothes off, alrigh'? Try ta see 'ow ba' et es."

I nodded, too exhausted to even crack a joke. I let out a whimper as he carefully jostled me to pull off my shirt. He hissed through his teeth and his lip curled into a snarl. I glanced down to see my stomach was covered in patches of dark bruises. He moved to my jeans and slowly peeled them away, tossing them to the floor. His eyes roamed over my body and he shook his head before kneeling back down. "Ef dey weren' dea', 'd kill 'em," he muttered, grabbing a piece of cotton and soaking it with the alcohol.

I hissed as he gingerly dabbed at a cut on my neck. "You killed them all?" I murmured.

He nodded. "Aye, we go' 'em. 'cept Jimmy." He scowled. "'ope dat wasn' a mistake."

"Good," I whispered, squeezing my eyes shut as he methodically cleaned each and every cut.

"Go ta slee', Kher," he urged.

"But-"

He shook his head. "Ye nee' ta 'eal, ye nee' ta res'. An' 'm no' goin' an'where, alrigh'? I'll be 'ere whe' ye wake u'," he promised quietly, moving to press his lips to my forehead.

I sighed and closed my eyes, quickly falling to sleep as my body shut down.

* * *

"No. 'm no' lettin' 'er ou' o' me sigh'. Learned me lesson th' firs' time. Shoul' pu' 'er o' a fuckin' leash."

Connor's growl penetrated my subconscious as I slowly woke up.

"Brudder, we 'ave ta talk ta Da," Murphy reasoned. "Fin' ou' wha' es goin' on. No' like she 'as an'where ta go no'."

I kept my eyes shut, trying to figure out what they could be talking about.

"Murph, Kher coul' 'ave died a' deir 'ands. Wha' woul' ye do ef et wa' Ava en dat be' enstea'?" Connor asked, his voice tired.

"'m no' sayin' yer wrong, bu' we 'ave tings ta do," he replied.

"So ye an' Da take care o' et. 'm ou' til she's bett'." His tone seemed to convey that the discussion was closed as Murphy heaved a sigh.

"Fi'. We'll tal' 'bout et later. 'm goin' ta tal' ta Da," Murphy said before he left the room, the door shutting with a soft *click*.

I slowly opened my eyes and looked over at my desk. I watched Connor from my bed as he began methodically disassembling his Desert Eagle, a deep scowl marring his features, his body tense. I cleared my throat, wincing slightly. He glanced up at me, his hands still moving over the weapon. He narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips before looking back down without a word, refocusing. I furrowed my brow. "You're not talking to me?" I asked, a note of disbelief in my voice. He snorted and shook his head, separating the pieces of his weapon into different piles. I felt a scowl pulling at my own mouth, the corners of my lips turning down. "You're mad at me?"

No reply except the soft clinking of gun parts.

I moved to sit up, my back against the headboard. I let out a quiet hiss .

"Ye aren' 'posed ta be movin'," he told me, his eyes narrowed, still looking at the piece in his hand. "Go' ta gi' yerself time ta 'eal."

I frowned even deeper, frustration building. "Why are you so mad at me? And if you're gonna be mad yell at me or something, don't give me this silent treatment…"

Connor shook his head and snarled quietly. "Th' fuck were ye tinkin?" he muttered under his breath. He let out a growl of frustration, tossing the pieces of his gun on the desk, making me jump at the sound. He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and rubbed his hands over his face, holding them together palm to palm in front of his mouth and exhaling a breath. I watched silently as he leapt to his feet and began pacing the room at the foot of my bed, his footsteps heavy against the carpet. I flinched when he let out a loud yell and punched the wall, leaving a crack behind in the plaster.

"Connor…"

He lifted his hand cutting me off abruptly. "Shu' u', Kher. Jus' shu' yer mou'."

I swallowed and nodded, sinking deeper into the pillows as he stared at me, anger alight in his eyes.

"Ye will _ne'er_ do shi' like dat 'gain, ye understan'?" he growled.

"Connor-"

He narrowed his eyes and stalked over to me, cutting me off again. "Don' ye dare 'Connor' me, lass," he hissed. "I though' I los' ye. I though' 'd ne'er see ye 'gain." He took a deep breath and slammed his hand into the wall behind my bed, letting out a yell of frustration.

"You're gonna break your hand if you don't stop," I muttered.

"Ye tink I gi' a _fuck_ 'bout me damn _'and!?_" he hollered.

"Connor, just calm down," I pleaded.

He knelt on the bed, his eyes blazing with rage. "Ye wan'ed me ta fuckin' yell a' ye, well 'ere et fuckin' es!" He took a deep breath. "Wha' th' fuck were ye fuckin' tinkin'!? Ye go en dere all fuckin' 'alf cocked as et were, no' tellin' an'one an'ting! Wha' th' fuck were ye doin'!?" he snarled, his face red, spittle flying with each word, his accent growing even stronger as the volume rose. "Di' ye listen ta a fuckin' wor' I sai' ta ye th' oth' mornin'? Wa' I talkin' ta a damn wa'!?" He gestured at my hand, the diamond ring giving a sparkle almost as if it agreed with him. "Es tha' a fuckin' _joke_ to you?"

I swallowed. "You done?" I asked.

"I 'aven' e'en star'ed! I _tol' _ye tha' Murph an' I woul' take care o' th' problem wi' little Aiden. Are ye willfully _deaf_ lass? Cau' I know yer no' shtupid. Bu' dat wa' th' shtupidest ting ye coul' 'ave done!"

I bit my lower lip. "I'm sorry… but I'm fine."

He scoffed and leaned against the headboard beside me, his hands clenched. "Yer no' fine. Yer shoulder es all kin's o' fucked and yer covered 'ead ta toe en bruises an' cuts. 'ow ca' ye tink yer alrigh'?"

"I didn't do anything that you or Murphy wouldn't have done," I muttered.

His nostrils flared and his eyes went hard. "Ye ain't some fuckin' super'ero, Kherin'to'. Ye kee' frowin' yerself en da middle o' da fuckin' flames an' ye 'ave ta sto'. I won' le' ye ge' yerself killed. 'm no' goin' ta lose ye."

"But-"

He clapped his hand over my mouth. "No. I don' care why ye though' ye 'ad ta go. I will no' go trew dis 'gain."

I pulled his hand from my mouth, my nails digging into his knuckles. "You are not my father Connor."

He snarled and leaned closer. "No, bu' I love ye an' e'en ef ye don' respe' yer life, I do."

We sat staring at each other, neither willing to back down. "Do I get to speak now or do I still have to sit here quietly and obediently?" I asked, my eyes narrowed.

"Ye sai' all ye needed ta say when ye walked ou' th' door th' oth' day," he snapped in reply.

I ground my teeth together and broke our gaze staring at the wall. Connor moved to sit beside me, his back against the headboard. "'ow's yer should'?" he asked after several moments of silence.

"Hurts," I replied abruptly, my eyes still focused across the room. I felt movement beside me but stubbornly refused to look at him. Suddenly _VERITAS_ came into my line of vision and I couldn't help but look at him in my peripheral.

"Ava go' ye pai'killers. Take et," he commanded, a large white pill in his hand.

I snatched the pill from his hand. "Thank you," I grumbled. I looked down at the pill and grimaced at the thought of swallowing something that size dry, but I didn't want to ask for water either due to my pride. More movement caught my eye and I glanced over to see Connor holding a half full glass out to me. I begrudgingly took it and tossed the pill in my mouth, taking a gulp of the lukewarm water before pressing the glass back into his hand and sinking into the pillows.

"Shouldn' 'ave los' me temper like dat," Connor finally said, pulling up a knee and resting his arm over it.

I sighed and stared at the ceiling. "You're right. You're scary when you're mad like that."

"Jus'..." He sighed and rubbed his hand over his face before resting his forehead against his fist. "Jus' make me und'stan'. Wha' di' ye tink ye were goin' ta do?"

"I didn't think," I answered honestly, my eyes darting over to him. "I just went. I know I should've had a plan or something but..." I took a deep breath. "There wasn't any time."

He shook his head. "Kher, 'm bein' serious, ye can' do dat. Ye jus' can'. 'f no' fer me, wha' 'bout Ava?"

I looked at him sharply. "She was one of the reasons I went."

He shook his head. "She wa' a wreck whe' we couldn' fin' ye. Firs' 'er son an' den 'er bes' frien'?"

I scowled. "Don't make me feel guilty."

His jaw clenched and I could almost see the wheels turning as he tried to keep his anger in check. "Kherin'to', ye nee' ta und'stan' dat wha' ye di'... ye _can'_ do dat. Ef I tell ye dat me an' Murph will take care o' et, le' us take care o' et."

"Why? Because I can't?" I muttered.

Connor took a deep breath and moved to lay down beside me, his head propped on his elbow. "I know dat yer no' weak. I know yer stubborn. I know yer loyal. I know ye are fiercely protective. I love all dose tings 'bout ye... mos' o' da time."

I couldn't the small smile that pulled at my mouth.

"'m goin' ta tell ye someting." He took a deep breath. "Ye were gone fer o'er twenty-fer hours. Et felt like me worl' stopped. Et felt like..." He paused, choosing his words. "I didn' know ef ye were alive. I didn' know ef ye were alrigh'..."

"Now you know how I felt for eight years," I whispered, glancing over at him.

His breath hitched in this throat. "Ef I ma' ye feel dat, I can' tell ye 'ow sorry I am. An' yer also stronger den I am because et felt like I couldn' brea'." He laid his hand against my cheek, his thumb gently caressing my cheekbone. "Whe' ye fin'ly called, et wa' like e'eryting was alrigh' 'gain. I jus' can' go trew all dat 'gain, alrigh'?"

I bit my lower lip. "I promise that I'll try to think before I act. That's the best I can give you." I turned my head and kissed his palm.

He kissed my forehead lightly. "No' qui' goo' 'nough bu' et will 'ave ta do fer no'."

We laid in silence for several beats. I reached up and took his hand, lacing his fingers with mine. "I'm glad you're here," I told him quietly.

"No where 'd rather be," he replied, gently pulling me closer and tucking my head under his chin.

"Even when you're mad at me?" I asked, nuzzling against his neck.

He chuckled. "Aye, e'en den."

"Do you need to talk to your family?"

He glanced down at me. "Wha' are ye talkin' 'bout, lass?"

I sighed and tilted my head back to meet his gaze. "I heard you and Murphy talking."

Connor sighed. "Though' ye were sleepin'."

"I woke up," I replied.

"Et's no'ting ye nee' ta worry yerself 'bout, Kher," he told me seriously,.

I shook my head. "Connor, I'll be fine. Go talk to them."

He raised an eyebrow. "Ye tink ye ca' ge' rid o' me dat easily? 'm 'fended, lass."

I rolled my eyes. "Are they in the apartment?"

"Aye. Las' I knew, Da wa' en th' kitchen an' Ava, Aiden an' Rome were en da sitting roo'."

"So there are people all over here. I think you can leave me by myself, warden."

He shook his head. "No, lass. Dere's no'ting ta tal' 'bout. I ain' doin' an'ting til I know yer o' yer fee'."

I furrowed my brow. "Wait, what?"

He sighed, running his fingers through my hair. "'m ou' o' et fer now. Murph, Da an' Rome... dey ca' handle et."

I pushed my hands against his chest and moved back. "Connor, no..."

He looked at me confused. "Lass, wha' es et?"

"You can't just let Murphy go alone," I insisted, moving to sit up, ignoring the pain.

"Lass, wha' are ye talkin' 'bout?" he asked, sitting up as well, his hands out to help me.

I swatted them away and shook my head. "Conn, either you're both out or you're both in. You can't let Murphy do this by himself."

"I jus' tol' ye 'e 'as-"

I shook my head. "No, Connor. Your father and Romeo... while fully capable... they aren't _you_. They can't protect Murphy like you can. The two of you are a unit."

He regarded my quietly for a moment. "I though' ye woul' be 'appy 'bout me no' doin' dis," he murmured.

I opened my mouth to reply but was cut off by a knock at the door. We turned towards the door as Ava stuck her head in.

"Conn, doesn't Kher need to rest?" she teased.

I chuckled. "I was wondering if I was ever going to see you," I told her.

"Well, me and a certain someone were wondering if we could visit," Ava said, stepping into the room. Suddenly, Aiden burst through the door and leapt onto the bed.

"Aunt Kher! You're awake!" he shrieked, launching himself at me. Connor moved quickly and cut him off, both of them tumbling to the floor.

Ava and I burst into giggles as Connor's head popped up from beside the bed, Aiden beside him. "Lad, ye 'ave ta be careful," Connor told him gently. "Kher esn' quite en to' sha'."

Aiden frowned. "But you've been sleeping FOREVER," he dramatically told me, pulling himself on the bed to sit beside me.

"I have a little more than a bruise and a cold, bubba," I told him as he snuggled up to my side.

Ava looked up at Connor. "You mind if we have a few minutes? I'll make sure she doesn't run any marathons or anything."

He looked over at me as if unsure. I waved him off. "Conn, please go. You have to. At least hear what they have to say."

He looked unconvinced but slowly nodded. "Alrigh'... I'll be righ' en da kitchen," he told me. He gave me a stern look. "Stay 'en be', alrigh'?"

I nodded. "Okay." He let a smile pull at his lips before leaning down and kissing me lightly.

"Love ye," he murmured, his eyes on mine.

"I love you, too," I whispered.

He smiled and stood, turning to Ava. "Ef she tries ta ge' u', tie 'er ta th' be'," he told her.

Ava raised an eyebrow. "Do I want to know what kind of sick games you two play that I have the means to do that?"

Connor chuckled and didn't reply, ducking out of the room and closing the door behind him.

I glanced down at Aiden and noticed he was fast asleep. I looked back up at Ava. "He okay?"

Ava sighed and moved to lie beside me, Aiden tucked between us. "I think so... I don't think he really understood what happened except that you got hurt. He didn't like that at all. And he didn't really sleep because he was worried about his Aunt Kher." She met my eyes shaking her head. "You know I can never thank you enough for going after him, but at the same time, I've never been so mad at you."

I sighed. "Ava, I was doing what I thought I had to."

She frowned and shook her head. "Lies. That wasn't your job."

"Seems like everyone is mad at me," I muttered, looking over my bruises.

"Everyone _is_," she replied. "I think Murphy is a little impressed, but overall he's pissed too."

I shifted, wincing at the slight pull on my shoulder. "Look, we're all okay. Aiden's okay, I'm okay, you're okay, the boys are okay-"

"I get it," she interjected. She glanced over, her eyes running over me. "And you being okay is debatable."

I rolled my eyes. "I'll heal. And it could be worse. I'll take a couple bruises."

She scoffed. "It's more than a couple bruises, Kher. I mean, yeah, you will heal and none of the injuries are deadly, but it's not like you just tripped and stubbed your toe. Although your shoulder worries me a little."

I looked over at her. "It wasn't just dislocated?"

She shrugged. "It was, but given the amount of time and the fact that it looks like it kept being wrenched out of place pulling it further away from the socket... it may take a little longer to heal and I doubt it will set right. Plus I'm not 100% sure you didn't tear anything. But only time will tell."

I glanced at my shoulder and grimaced at the bruising before turning back to her. "I'll be careful."

"I'll believe that when I see it," she replied. "Heard Connor yelling before."

I let out a sigh, sinking into the pillows and pulling Aiden closer to my side. "Yeah... I think he just had to get it out of his system."

Ava gently ran her fingers through Aiden's dark hair. "He was an absolute wreck Kher. Murphy told me the only other time he's seen Connor anything like that was back when the Russians came to their apartment."

I cut my eyes at her. "I'm not sure what that means."

"He was out of his mind, that's what it means. And then when he realized how hurt you were..." She trailed off and gave a sigh. "It was just scary." She met my gaze. "And I think he blames himself for it."

I swallowed. "What?"

Ava shrugged. "Connor and Murphy... they both want to protect each other and us... but Connor... when something goes wrong, it really affects him more than anybody. I'm not saying Murphy doesn't care, but Murph doesn't take it all nearly as personal as Connor does. And the fact that it's you? He just felt like he failed. And I don't think he could handle it."

I chewed my lower lip absently. "It wasn't his fault."

"We all know that, but it doesn't change how he feels about it," she replied softly.

I looked down at my hands, picking at my thumbnail. "Did I miss anything else?"

"I assume Connor told you about Greenly," she murmured.

I looked at her confused. "Greenly? What about Greenly?"

Her expression turned to surprise before closing off. "Nothing, nevermind."

"Ava... what happened?" I asked.

"We'll talk about it later."

I narrowed my eyes. "You need to stop trying to keep secrets from me and tell me right now. What. Happened."

She sighed. "Fuck, Connor's going to kill me," she muttered. She looked at me. "Greenly's dead, Kher."

* * *

**AN2:**

****Anonnie: That's what the boys do, haha. Yeah, Kher's visit with the Italians didn't go so well... but that's not exactly shocking. Connor will have to take care of her but knock some sense into her as well, ha. I'm glad both tones work. It was just my means of comparison. I think the other thing was that I was able to give the first one a break and so when I looked back over it, it was like it was new again whereas this one I'm working with it like everyday. I need to remind myself to give it a break every so often. I'm so glad you are enjoying this and that you give me feedback and (fun, hilarious, silly, encouraging, so many other good words) reviews. I always look forward to them! And I'm thrilled that you'll follow me wherever I go! We will see where the muses take me! :) You're so awesome! :) I'm not as amusing in this reply... I must be tired, ha.

Rhanon Brodie: I hear you on the laziness! Oh wow, I am so flattered because I think you are absolutely brilliant, so the fact that you are still enjoying this means so much! You saying my reunion smut was hot is like... the biggest compliment ever considering how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE your stuff. But don't let me keep you from yours! I'm selfish! I need my fix of Connor-Pam-Murphy-Wren! Thank you so much for reviewing! And thank you for the advice! I'm trying to stay out of my head and just let the story happen.

Lucy: Well, as long as you're happy, haha! Your advice was super helpful! I'm glad it worked and you liked it! Kher will be alright, just a little battered. That'll teach her to not trust her boys, ha. ;-) Sorry it took me a little longer to post! Love ya girly! :)

Alessandra: I KNEW you were going to be so excited about this! Between dead Italians and dead Stefano? Knew this would be your chapter. I love your reviews so much, haha. Meh, who cares if training them to be MacManus bros is weird? It's such a badass way to be! They should be grateful! ;-) Awe and YOU are amazing! I'm just so happy you review, I don't care when it comes! They never fail to make me smile! So bring them to me early, late, whatever! I love them always! And I love YOU! :) :) :)


	19. What's Goin' On

**Author's Note:** Hey dudes! I'm back! I'm gonna be honest... I'm really nervous about posting this chapter. I'm not sure why... I'm not sure if the direction I went actually worked, but I keep looking at it and a big part of me wants to keep it... so... here we are. This was a major "push yourself, challenge yourself" chapter. Bah, nervous. Please, please, please review and tell me whether or not it worked. I would love some feedback (which many of you give me all the time, so I shouldn't even beg, ha) and if it's not good, I can always change it. Anyway, enough of my whining... big thank you to all those who took the time to read/review/fave/alert. I love, love, love it! Big huge thank yous and hugs and kisses and chocolate to... **Valerie E. Mackin, SilverMoonlit, BlueMoonSaint, "Anonnie", coffee-ink-fire, "Lucy", iforgiveyou, AislingIsobel**... every single one of you have given me consistent reviews, most of you have taken the time to review each and every chapter and I honestly consider you all my friends because you have taken the time to read this and tell me you love it and through PMs and other means, I have managed to bond with you. Thank you so much for that! Thank you for helping a little small-town girl like me manage to build a little confidence! Gah, I get sappier each and every time... ;-)

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. What's Goin' On is Marvin Gaye (although the version I'm using is A Perfect Circle). Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

_**This chapter has MATURE CONTENT that is NOT SUITABLE for young eyes or people who are not into those sorts of shenanigans. This is probably one of the more graphic scenes I've written... or at least it felt that way... If you do not want to see such things, please skip the italicized section. Otherwise, feel free to read... Bah... I'm gonna go blush and giggle now...**  
_

**Chapter 19 (What's Goin' On)**

"_Brother, brother, brother... there's far too many of you dying... you know we've got to find a way... to bring some loving here today..."_

I made my way into the kitchen, hand to my side, Ava and Aiden hot on my heels. I felt slightly lightheaded, but I wasn't sure if that was due to the medication or Ava's news.

"Kherington! Stop!" Ava pleaded. "It's too soon for you to be moving around!"

"Mama, what's wrong?" Aiden asked from behind me.

I stopped in the doorframe of my kitchen, slightly out of breath, my shoulder aching. My good hand gripped the wood, my nails digging in almost painfully. Connor and Murphy were sitting on each side of their father, a steaming mug of untouched coffee in front of each of them, smoldering cigarettes between each of the boys' fingers, a fat cigar sticking out of their father's mouth. Romeo leaned against the counter, his arms crossed over his chest. They all looked up at me in the doorway.

"Kher, wha' th' fuck are ye doin'?" Connor growled, standing up. "Ava, I tol' ye ta make 'er stay pu'. She can' be runnin' 'roun' like dis."

"How could you not tell me about Greenly?" I asked, out of breath.

"Oh, Christ," Murphy muttered, shaking his head.

Romeo cleared his throat. "This could be awkward…"

If looks had the ability to kill, the murderous look Connor gave Ava would have killed her at least twice. "Ye couldn' kee' yer 'ole shu' fer 10 fuckin' minutes," Connor bit out, his teeth clenched and bared.

"Brudder, don' tal' ta 'er like dat," Murphy warned gently, a stern look on his face. Connor shot him a look before bringing his focus back to Ava.

She held up her hands in surrender. "I honestly thought you would have told her, Connor. And watch your mouth."

"Swear jar, Uncle Conn," Aiden reprimanded, padding over to Murphy and crawling into his lap.

Connor snarled at Ava before turning his attention back to me. "I wan'ed ta wai' until aft' ye 'ad rested a bi'," he explained, trying to keep his voice calm. "I wasn' keepin' et a secre', I jus' wanted ye ta 'ave time ta 'eal a bi' befer addin' dat kin' o' stress fer ye."

"Oh, so you could verbally rip me a new one? That kind of stress is 'okay', but telling me a friend _died_, that kind of stress is too much for me?" I snarled, pieces of paint curling under my nails."It's not up to you what I can or can't handle, Connor. So what happened?"

"Kher, no' now, alrigh'?" Connor pleaded. "Lay ba' dow' an' I promise ye... we will tal' 'bout et lat'."

I shook my head stubbornly. "No! I'm sick of all of you keeping secrets from me and thinking you know what's best for me! You aren't my parents, okay? I don't need you thinking you have to protect me all the time! I'm a GROWN FUCKIN' WOMAN!" I shrieked, bordering on hysteria.

The group froze at my outburst. Murphy slowly turned to Romeo. "Rome, ye wouldn' wan' ta take me boy 'ere ta ge' some ice cream o' someting, would ye?"

Romeo nodded. "I can do that. C'mon little man."

"Murphy, I don't think that's a good idea," Ava hissed as Aiden slid off of Murphy's lap.

"Chica, I promise he'll be alright," Romeo reassured her. "Looks like this MacManus family reunion has a lot to be hammered out and it's better if me and the little guy vamos. Leave you all to it."

"But-"

Murphy walked over to her, laying his hands on her shoulders. "Lass, I know yer scared."

Ava huffed. "He was just kidnapped for God's sake. I just got him back."

"And I'll bring him back in one piece," Romeo interjected. "Promise."

Murphy gave her a pleading look. "Please, lass?"

Ava shook her head. "I don't like it, but fine." She knelt down and pulled Aiden into a hug. "You stay with Romeo at all times, you hear me?"

"Yes mama," Aiden replied. He skipped to Romeo and grabbed his hand. "I want mint chocolate chip."

"That stuff looks like slime dude," Romeo replied as they made their way out of the apartment, leaving Ava and I alone with the three MacManus men.

Connor took a deep breath and walked over to me, resting a hand on my cheek. "Lass, please go lay dow'. As soo' as I'm done talkin' wit' Da an' Murph, I'll 'splain e'ryting. Please jus' ge' a bi' o' res'."

"Connor, dis ca' wai'," his father told him quietly.

We both looked at the MacManus patriarch as he rubbed a hand over his beard thoughtfully.

"Bu', Da…" Murphy started.

"Et's fine, son," Da told him, cutting him off. "Dere's no rush."

Connor turned his gaze back to me. "Go lay dow'," he told me again, resting his hands on my arms below my elbows. "'m righ' behin' ye."

I shook my head and ripped myself out of his grip. "Give me a phone," I ordered.

"Kher, cal' dow', alrigh'?" he told me softly, taking a step forward.

"Just give me a fucking phone!" I shrieked finally losing it, shoving him away. I dissolved into tears and felt my knees go weak, collapsing against Connor's chest. We both sunk to the floor, Connor's arms wrapped tightly around me, pulling me onto his lap and holding me to his chest, my head tucked under his chin.

"Shhhh," he soothed, stroking my hair and rubbing my back gently. "Jus' le' et ou' Kher... et's alrigh'. 'm righ' 'ere."

My body was throbbing from my heavy sobs and my shoulder felt like it was burning but I couldn't bring myself to care. I was so sick of people dying. It felt like the deeper we got into this mess, the more we lost. How long until none of us were left? Or worse... how long until someone was left alone?

I cried until I felt like I had no tears left, Connor's shirt soaked through. He rocked me back and forth, holding me tightly as my cries subsided, fading into hiccups. He carefully lifted my chin to meet my eyes, his thumb catching the last few tears left on my cheeks. "Dat bett'?" he asked quietly.

My bottom lip trembled. "I'm sick of losing people. I just want this to all be over."

"I know," he murmured. He glanced back at the table where Da and Murphy still sat, Ava with them, her hands folded in front of her face.

I took a deep shaky breath. "Please tell me what happened..."

Connor sighed. "Romeo figured ou' da code an' we go' en ta ye an' Aiden in dat roo'... Aft' we go' ye an' Aiden... we brough' ye ba' 'ere... bu' we 'ad ta go ta McGinty's ta che' en wi' th' fellas." He took a deep breath. "Dey sen' Gree'bea's... 'e walked en th' ba' an' den 'e go' sho'... dere wa' noting we coul' do..."

I squeezed my eyes shut and bit my lower lip. "Who did it? What happened to them?"

I opened my eyes and looked up at Connor, following his gaze to his father. The elder sighed. "Ye bo' shoul' 'ave a sea'. Le' me 'splain wha' I wanted ta tell me boys."

Connor helped me to my feet and led me to the chair, sitting me down gently. He stood behind me, resting a hand on my good shoulder.

Da took a deep drag from his cigar and blew a thick plume of smoke into the air, seeming to gather his thoughts as the four of us sat, waiting patiently. He stubbed out the cigar into an ashtray in the middle of the table before folding his hands in front of him, looking each of us over. "Wha' do yer girls kno'?" he asked, shifting his gaze between his two boys.

Murphy cleared his throat. "Dey know wha' we do an' dey know why..."

"Dey know who ye are," Connor added.

Da nodded and regarded Ava and I carefully. "Me boys 'ave tol' me lo' bout each o' ye o'er de years. Ye bo' see' like goo' lasses fer dese two." He cleared his throat and ran his hand over his beard, considering his words. "I didn' know me boys 'til eigh' years 'go. I wa' ne'er par' o' deir lives. Dat wasn' me pla'." He sighed. "I star'ed dis life ba' en 1958, jus' shy o' me eighteenth bir'day. I watched men murder me own Da. Dey too' 'is life en col' bloo'. No' e'en sure o' th' reason aft' all dese years. Befer dat 'appened... I 'ad bee' a quiet lad… Makin' me way trew li', doin' wha' nee'ed done. Workin' fer me Da an' spendin' me free time wit' me frien' Louie. 'e wa' an apprentice ta me Da an' 'bou' me own age." He sighed. "Aft' me Da died... tings changed fer me." He folded his hands in front of him. "Dese men... dey 'ad ta pay fer wha' dey 'ad done. An' e'en dough 'e didn' wan' ta 'elp me... Louie di'... So... we foun' dem. An' I killed dem. Bu' dat wa' jus' da beginnin'. Louie an' I... we worked tage'er. Too' dow' men like dem piece by piece... Dis wen' on fer over 10 years... Louie doin' da plannin'... me... de udder." He paused, glancing at both Connor and Murphy. Connor's hand was gently massaging my shoulder as we listened to the story. Murphy held Ava's hand tightly as they were both engrossed as well.

Da looked at Ava. "Do ye tink I coul' ge' a glass o' water, lass?" he asked.

Ava nodded and stood, walking to my cupboards and pulling out a glass, filling it with water from the tap before walking it back over.

He took the glass and nodded. "Tank ye, dear," he murmured, taking a sip before setting the glass down on the table.

"You're welcome sir," Ava said quietly, as she sat back down.

He shook his head. "Please, dear girl... ca' me Noah."

She nodded and slipped her hand back into Murphy's.

"So, wha' 'appened, Da?" Connor asked quietly from behind me.

Noah smiled slightly. "Wha' 'appened wa' I me' yer mudder... Annabelle O'Reilly... fiery re' 'air an' e'en 'otter temper. We me' en da spring o' '70. She 'ad come fro' Irelan' ta see fam'ly an' we 'appened 'pon each udder. I didn' stan' a chan'." He sighed. "She 'elped me 'member 'ow I'd fel' befer me Da died. Made me 'member who I wa'. No' Il Duce, bu' Noah. An' I loved 'er fer dat. I didn' tell 'er wha' I 'ad done an' I tol' Louie dat I wa' finished. I didn' tell 'im why, bu' 'e claimed ta und'stan'. I as'ed 'er ta marry me dat November... we wen' ba' ta Irelan' by Christmas an' were married... we foun' ou' we were goin' ta 'ave a babe dat January. She ga' bir' ta twin lads dat September. Tings wen' well fer dose firs' few years. Until '75. Louie foun' me... tol' me dere wa' one mo' jo' dat nee'ed ta be do'. I tried ta tell 'im dat I couldn' bu' 'e wouldn' take no fer an answer. 'e reminded me o' wha' 'e 'ad done fer me befer. Sai' dis woul' be th' las' time. So I wen'. I tol' Annabelle dat I 'ad sometings dat nee'ed done en th' States, bu' I woul' be ba' wi'en a week's time." Noah shook his head. "Bu' I wasn'... aft' th' 'it... whe' I walked ou'... th' police... dey were waitin' fer me... Louie 'ad se' me u'..." He trailed off, rubbing his hands over his beard.

"Bu'... why di' 'e se' ye u'?" Murphy asked quietly.

Noah shook his head. "I can' wai' ta as' 'im. I 'ave bee' wond'rin' dat fer o'er 30 years."

The four of us sat in silence, absorbing Noah's story and what it meant, not only for him, but for each of us. I took a deep breath and looked up, meeting Noah's eyes. "What does this mean now?"

He pulled a second cigar from his pocket, lighting it up and taking a deep puff before answering. "Th' Italian me' dat me boys too' dow'... th' boy dat killed yer Detective frien'... dey recei'ed deir orders an' pla's fro' Louie. Dis 'ole plo' wa' pu' taget'er by 'im. 'e pulled th' strings. 'e knew dat bringin' me boys ba' ou' woul' 'ave me come ou' as well. Seems as dough Louie es wantin' ta spea' wi' me as well."

"So, wha' es th' pla'?" Connor asked quietly.

Noah looked between his sons. "Ef ye wi', I woul' like th' two o' ye an' yer frien' ta 'elp me finish dis... once an' fer all."

* * *

I stood in the shower, the overheated water pelting against my back, steam rising around me. I rested my forehead against the cool tile as I tried to think about everything that had come to pass. Aiden's kidnapping... my failed attempt at rescue... Connor and Murphy... Greenly's death... Noah's tale... I chewed my lower lip as the thoughts swirled through my head.

"Nee' some 'elp?"

I felt my heart jump at Connor's voice in my ear and I glanced over my shoulder to see him standing behind me. "You scared me," I murmured. "Didn't even hear you come in."

"'m sorry," he replied. "Figured ye coul' use a 'and."

I swallowed and nodded. "I can't wash my hair... hurts my shoulder."

"Consider et done, lass," he replied.

I turned to face the wall and listened as I heard him grab the bottle of shampoo, squeezing a dollop into his palm.

"Lea' yer 'ead ba', Kher," he told me quietly.

I tilted my head back and closed my eyes as he gently massaged his hands through my hair, his fingers digging into my scalp as he worked the shampoo into a lather. The scent of grapefruit and lavender filled my nostrils and I sighed as he moved his hands through my hair, making sure to get every strand. My body relaxed against his until he was completely supporting my weight.

"Nee' ta rinse," he muttered, his voice low. He took a step back so I was under the spray. "Close yer eyes," he whispered, threading his fingers through my hair, the lather sliding down my body. I could feel him against my back, hard and pulsing. It made my breath catch in my throat that he was doing this, putting all his own needs aside to take care of me, to make sure I was alright. I turned to face him, catching his gaze.

"Wha'?" he murmured, cocking his head to the side.

I shook my head and slid my hand to the back of his neck bringing him to meet my lips and swallowing him in a searing kiss. I pulled him closer, running my tongue over his teeth. I frowned as he pulled away, his breathing labored.

"Kher, no," he bit out, his eyes squeezed shut.

"What did you think was going to happen when you got in here?" I asked quietly, watching as the water traveled down his torso.

He slowly opened his eyes, his pupils blown and swallowed. "I don' wan' ta 'urt ye. Et's too soo', alrigh'?"

I shook my head. "Conn, please," I murmured, pressing our foreheads together, my fingers tangling in the wet strands of his hair. "We both need this. Please…"

He groaned and captured my mouth, his arms wrapping around my waist and gently pressing me against the tiled wall, the water cascading over us. I dug my nails into his neck, trying to pull him closer, bringing a groan from low in his throat. He pulled away and we both struggled to catch our breath. He moved his mouth over each bruise that he could find, placing gentle kisses over each one, slowly moving from my face to my neck to my shoulder until I was practically trembling.

"Connor, please," I whispered.

_He pressed a soft kiss to my injured shoulder. "If we are goin' ta do dis, we're doin' et me own way," he muttered, his breath ghosting over my wet flesh making me shiver. "Jus' le' me take care o' ye, alrigh'?" he murmured, moving to meet my gaze._

_I bit my lower lip and nodded, completely surrendering myself to him. He went back to his previous task, returning to press a kiss to my shoulder before continuing his journey over my body._

_"Le' me know ef et 'urts an' we nee' ta sto'," he told me before closing his mouth over my nipple, gripping it between his teeth as he flicked his tongue over it. I moaned softly, arching my back and pressing his face into me. "Steady, lass," he muttered before moving to pay the other side the same attention._

_The water from the showerhead had since turned ice cold but it heightened everything as my body became overheated from Connor's touch. He slowly and carefully moved down the valley of my breasts, being sure to pay attention to each and every bruise on my stomach as he moved to his knees in front of me. I swallowed audibly as I looked down at him, my hand still on the back of his head._

_"Ye 'ave an' idea…" he breathed, my stomach clenching as his puffs of breath ghosted over the flesh right below my navel. "'ow mu' I love ye?" He looked up at me, his eyes bright._

_"Almost as much as I love you," I replied softly._

_He smirked and shook his head. "Doub' et, lass." He carefully ran his hand over my left leg to the back of my knee and gently draped it over his shoulder. He glanced back up at me. "Dat alrigh'?"_

_I nodded, unable to speak as my heart began to race. He pressed a kiss to my inner thigh, suckling gently at the flesh and humming his approval quietly. He ran his hand up my other leg before settling between my legs. His eyes stayed locked on mine and my breath hitched as he carefully spread me open and ran the flat of his tongue over me, never breaking our eye contact._

_I let out a choking moan as my hips jerked forward trying to increase the pressure of his mouth. "Connor," I dragged out as he sucked my clit into his mouth, his tongue flicking over me before releasing the swollen flesh with a soft 'pop'. I gasped as his tongue moved lower, darting in and out, lapping at me, his arm moving to anchor my leg to his shoulder._

_He pulled back after several seconds of his sweet torture, meeting my heated gaze. "Ye alrigh'?" he asked, moving his thumb to rub over my clit slowly._

_"Please don't stop," I practically slurred, my fingers flexing in the hair at the back of his head._

_Connor let out a chuckle as he dragged a finger down my slit, slowly pushing it into me. "Christ, Kher," he breathed, slowly moving his finger in and out as he moved his mouth back to me, his tongue working over me like it was my mouth._

_I let out a sob at the pleasure as he increased the pressure and the speed. "OhGodOhGodOhGod," I groaned over and over, my hips bucking on their own accord. "Connor!" I gasped._

_He seemed to know what the tone meant as he picked up the pace, pressing a second finger into me, his mouth suckling at me. I barely felt his hand squeeze my thigh and I looked down, dragging in a ragged breath as I met his gaze. The moment our eyes locked, it was like a gunshot, my orgasm bursting inside me and I practically howled, my fingers digging into his scalp, pressing his face closer._

_Connor's pace gradually slowed, letting me come down from my high before he withdrew his fingers. He pressed one last kiss to my clit before brushing his lips over my thigh and lowering it to the ground. My knees felt like they were about to buckle and he quickly moved to stand, pressing me against the wall._

_"Ye goo'?" he asked, his hands resting on my hips._

_"Never been better," I replied, smiling up at him._

_He kissed me gently, his thumbs tracing circles on my hip bones._

_"Connor," I murmured._

_"Hmmm?" he replied, moving a hand to my cheek._

_"Make love to me," I breathed._

_His body shuddered at my words and he pressed his lips to my forehead. "I ca' do dat," he replied. He reached behind his back and shut off the water. "Bu' nee' ta ge' ye ta be' ta do et."_

_We stepped out of the shower and Connor wrapped me in a towel before tying one around his own waist. We moved out of the bathroom and made our way to my room. I walked in first, Connor close behind. He carefully shut the door as I sat on the edge of the bed, holding the towel at my chest. He crossed the room and cradled my jaw, holding me almost as though I was glass as he kissed me softly, lowering me to the bed, his body covering me. He gently unwrapped the towel, laying each side on the bed before pulling his own off, tossing it to the side. He pressed one last kiss to my mouth before moving to reach for my bedside table. I grabbed his arm to stop him, my fingers curling around the familiar cross._

_"Lass, wha'…"_

_"We don't need it," I told him, shaking my head._

_He furrowed his brow. "Kherin'to'…"_

_"If it happens, it happens, okay? I just need you. Right now…"_

_Connor groaned in reply and draped himself over me. I bit back a groan as the head of his cock bumped against my still sensitive clit. I felt his knuckles brush against me as he took a hold of himself and slowly pushed in. "Sweet mother o' Go'," he growled, entering me fully. "'ow does et fee' like th' firs' time wi' ye e'erytime?"_

_I replied with a moan, throwing my head back, my hand scrabbling over his chest trying to find purchase. He began to thrust into me, his forearms on either side of my head as he slipped into a rhythm. I wrapped a leg around him, digging my heel into the small of his back, urging him to go faster. He captured my mouth in a kiss and I felt his thrusts pick up speed. He flattened his hands against the bed, moving against me, staring down at me. I tried to speak, but all I could manage was a whining moan as my head started to thrash from side to side. I felt his hand circle my wrist and move my hand between us. He moved his hand over the back of mine, managing to cover my fingers and using both of our hands, gently stroked over my swollen flesh. My orgasm crashed through me as he continued rubbing our fingers over me, his thrusts never stopping. I left out a long moan, tightening my legs around him as I felt him let go inside me, his body going taut before relaxing. I closed my eyes as I tried to catch my breath, my head turned to the side._

_Connor moved down, kissing my neck gently, wrapping me in his arms, still inside me. When he tried to pull out, I held him tighter. "Don't go yet," I muttered, my eyes still closed._

_"Jus' goin' ta make us a bi' mo' comfortable, alrigh'?"_

I whimpered quietly as we separated, an emptiness flowing over me. Without knowing how I got there, we were both under the covers, lying side by side. Connor was turned towards me as I lay flat on my back, our hands intertwined.

"So what happens now?" I asked quietly, my eyes still closed.

Connor sighed, his mouth against the side of my head. "Once we 'ave a locatio', we are goin' aft' Louie fer Da."

"When should that happen?"

"'bout a wee'. An' den et's ov'."

I sighed as Connor moved his other hand to gently caress my cheek, his thumb stroking my lips. "Until the next one."

"No, lass. Dis es et."

I slowly opened one eye to look at him. "Wait… what?"

He pressed his lips to my temple. "Murph an' I… we 'ad a tal'. We can' do dis an'mo'. Et's time ta sto'."

"But… are you sure?" I asked. I turned to my side to face him, wincing slightly as it pulled on my shoulder.

"Ye alrigh'?" he asked, concern flooding his expression.

"I'm fine. You're stopping?"

Connor nodded. "Ye were righ' befer. We 'ave los' too mu'. Dis made sense befer, bu' no'… et jus' doesn'."

"What does that mean?" I asked.

He ran his hand over my hip. "'m sayin' dat once dis is ov', we ca' all jus' move o'. Et will jus' be ye an' me. Aft' listenin' ta Da… I don' wan' ta wake up en 20 years an' wi' ye were dere. I wan' ye ta alread' be dere."

I bit my lower lip, lowering my gaze. He slipped a hand to my chin, tilting my head to meet his eyes. "Ef dat's wha' ye wan'…"

I pressed my lips to his before pulling away, our noses brushing. "There's nothing else in this world that I want more," I replied.

* * *

**AN2:**

Anonnie: I missed you too! Bahahahaha, not the good kind of tongue lashing. That makes me laugh. ;-) But yes, Connor really let her have it... but I don't think it was uncalled for. But she did make good points as well. He is SO protective of her. I'm not writing him OOC, am I? Ha. I'm so flattered that you take the time to consistently review! I do feel special about it! If you make an account, make sure to let me know! And I'm glad you use the Anonnie! I said it on a whim, but I'm glad you run with it! And I appreciate each and every word you leave me with! Thank you for the compliments! It means a lot! I think you are so great! I'm in a ridiculously sappy mood this evening, ha. Hope to hear from you soon! :) :) :)

Lucy: Don't we all want Irish babies? :) I know, Greenly dying is one of the saddest things. And I wondered why you were yelling at me! Jk jk. I don't think there's much more to go, but I'm not exactly sure what that means! And hopefully I'll have more ideas when I'm done... I may give The Walking Dead a try, give Boondock a rest for a bit. But we shall see. You are so welcome! I hope you like this one too! Besties!


	20. Life is Beautiful

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! Another day, another chapter! This one is kind of filler-y. Some plot advancement... but mostly filler-y. :) I'm kinda sleepy, so I won't babble. Thank you to those who read/review/fave/alert. Seriously, it's the reason I write/post. Super big thanks too... **coffee-ink-fire, SilverMoonlit, AislingIsobel** (thank you for your shouts in your story and all your fine words and support... you single me out in your chapters and I really want to do the same for you! Guys! Read her stuff! Walking Through Fire is amaze balls!)**, BlueMoonSaint, Valerie E. Mackin, iforgiveyou, "Alessandra", "Anonnie", SaraLostInes, "Lucy"**... you all are more wonderful than words!

Also... I want to say thank you to **Pixie photos**. Without her support and encouragement, I would have never posted in the first place. So, just had to say that I adore you girl! :)

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Life Is Beautiful is Vega4. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 20 (Life Is Beautiful):**

"_Life is beautiful... but it's complicated, we barely make it... we don't need... to understand... there are miracles... miracles..."_

"Ow! Fuck!" I shrieked, grabbing at my shoulder.

"Kher, wha' es et?"

I looked up to see Connor in my doorway, his expression filled with concern. "I can't zip up my damn dress because of my fuckin' shoulder," I complained.

He let out a sigh of relief. "Es dat all?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Do you know how much of a pain it is not being able to do things yourself?" I muttered, trying to reach behind my back with my good arm.

"Kher, jus' relax," he soothed, moving behind me, his hands gently pulling the zipper up. "Ye know ef ye nee' 'elp, all ye 'ave ta do es as'," he pointed out, meeting my gaze over my shoulder through the mirror.

"Didn't think you'd know how to put my clothes _on_," I retorted.

He smirked. "We', I do prefer takin' dem off, dis es true." He gently rested his hands on my hips. "Ye alrigh'?"

I sighed and turned to face him, resting my cheek against his chest over his heart. "I just still can't believe Greenly's gone," I murmured, closing my eyes as I listened to his steady heartbeat.

"Wha' time ye 'ave ta be a' th' church?" he asked quietly, wrapping his arms around me.

"Duffy's going to be picking me up in about a half hour," I replied. "Ava should already be there.

"Ye take yer pill?" Connor asked, resting his chin on the top of my head, gently stroking my back.

"I did about an hour ago," I replied.

"'Ye feelin' alrigh?"

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Connor, I'm fine. Stop worrying."

He scoffed. "Et's only bee' a few days, Kher, 'm 'lowed ta worry."

I moved my head to rest on his shoulder. "Are you coming to the funeral?" I asked quietly.

"I wan' ta. Greenly wa' a goo' ma'. Wan' ta pay me respects. Bu' I don' tink et woul' be a smar' ting ta do. No' wi' e'eryting dat's goin' o'. Murph an' me, we're goin' ta discuss e'eryting wi' Da while ye an' Ava are gone. An' watch Aiden, o' course. Tink Da 'as a sof' spo' fer th' lad." He gently kissed my temple.

"Aiden's easy to love," I replied as I slowly pulled away, resting my hands on his stomach and looking up at him. "I should finish getting ready," I murmured. I leaned forward and kissed him. His hands came to rest on my hips, his mouth responding to the kiss, but he didn't pull me closer.

I pulled back and wrinkled my nose. "I'm starting to think you don't like me," I muttered.

Connor chuckled, kissing my nose lightly. "Ye nee' ta beha'," he replied. He took a step back and sat on the edge of my bed. "'m givin' ye time ta 'eal, dat's all. Ye won' ge' me a' anudder wea' moment lass."

I sighed and turned back towards the mirror. "I know. Wouldn't be a problem if you just weren't so damn sexy all the time..." I smiled at him through the mirror, picking an earring up off my dresser.

He chuckled. "Et es qui' th' cross ta bear, lass." He leaned back on his hands. "Nee' 'elp?"

I shook my head. "I think I'm okay." I slipped my earrings into my ears and smoothed my hair. I met his gaze in the mirror to see him looking at me with an expression of concern. "What's wrong?"

He sighed. "I don' wan' ye ta go."

I sighed. "Connor…"

He held up his hands. "I know, I know. 'm worryin'. Can' 'elp et."

I slipped my feet into my pumps and walked over to him, straddling his lap and wrapping my good arm around his neck, my fingers gently scratching the back of his head. "I'm sorry you got so worked up about me going, okay? I don't know how many times I can say I'm sorry."

He let out a huff, settling his hands on my hips. "I know yer sorry an' I know why ye wen', bu' ye sti' go' 'urt an' I don' wan' ye ta ge' 'urt 'gain."

I cocked my head to the side. "Conn, I'm going to be with Duffy, Dolly and Ava in the middle of a church in downtown Boston surrounded by Boston PD and probably a handful of FBI agents. I don't think there is a safer possible place. Plus, Stefano and Concezio and the rest of that group is dead. Who else would come after me?"

Connor covered my mouth with his hand. "Dat's no' th' poin'. An' sto' talkin' like dat. Ye nee' ta take dis seriously. I me-FUCK!"

He snatched his hand away from my mouth and looked down at the teeth marks on his palm. "Ye jus' fuckin' bit me!" he growled.

I shrugged. "Don't put your hands near my teeth and I won't have to."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Th' secon' yer bet', ye will pay fer dat."

"Promise?" I asked with a smirk, kissing him gently.

KNOCK KNOCK

I sighed and pulled away, glancing over my shoulder. "That's probably Duffy," I said quietly.

"Aye," Connor replied, kissing my collarbone. "Ye shoul' ge' goin', don' wan' ta be la'."

I moved off his lap and grabbed my purse off the bedpost. "See me out?" I asked, holding out my hand. He laced his fingers with mine and we slowly made our way to my front door. "You meeting Murphy and your father at McGinty's?"

"Aye," he replied with a nod. "Rome shoul' be dere as well."

"Be careful," I told him softly.

"Ye as well," he replied, bringing my hand to his mouth and brushing his lips over my knuckles.

I pulled open the door to see Detective Duffy standing on the other side, his hands shoved into his coat pockets. He looked tired and worn, not to mention sad. "Hi Brian."

He forced a smile. "Kherington, how you holding up?"

I gave him a shrug, hitching my purse over my shoulder. "I'm hanging in there. Could ask you the same."

He shrugged. "Things are just weird right now." He glanced at Connor. "Everything good?"

Connor nodded. "Goo' as dey ca' be." He gave my hand a squeeze before letting go and wrapping his arm around my waist, kissing me lightly on the temple. "Ligh' a candle fer me an' Murph, woul' ye?"

"Of course."

Connor gave Duffy a look. "Take care o' me lass. Trustin' ye wi' 'er."

I rolled my eyes. "Connor, let it go."

Duffy nodded. "I'll take care of her and bring her back in one piece." He glanced at me and offered his elbow. "You ready?"

"No, but now's as good a time as any." I gave Connor a quick kiss. "I'll meet you at McGinty's after?"

"Aye, we'll be dere."

I gave him a quick kiss before taking Duffy's arm and making our way down the hallway to the elevator. I pressed the button and turned to face my favorite Detective and friend. "Seriously, how are you?"

Duffy exhaled a breath and rubbed his hands over his face as the elevator slid open. "I'm okay. Keep waiting for Greenly to make a smart comment or do something stupid and then I remember… well, you get it," he replied, following me into the elevator and pressing the button for the Lobby. "And what about you?"

I shrugged and winced a bit as the movement pulled at my shoulder. "I'm alive. I think Connor, Murphy and Ava are waiting for me to just all of a sudden breakdown and lose it… like PTSD sort of thing," I answered as the doors slid shut.

Duffy raised an eyebrow. "Think you might?"

I shook my head, drumming my fingers over my purse. "No… I do have nightmares though. So I guess I'm not completely unscathed."

"What kind of nightmares?" he asked as we walked out of the elevator, our shoes scuffing against the linoleum.

"Brian, we don't have to talk about me. I know you're going through a lot of shit right now."

He scoffed, holding the door open for me. "We all have a lot of shit to deal with. Maybe if I help you deal with yours it will help me deal with mine."

I sighed as we approached his car. "They're just nightmares about like what if they hadn't decided to leave Aiden unharmed… or what if someone had survived and shot Connor or Murphy… stuff like that."

"Worst case scenario?" he offered, opening the passenger side door.

I nodded, folding myself into the car. "Pretty much." He shut the door and jogged to the driver's side, sliding behind the wheel. He pulled into traffic and for several moments we sat in comfortable silence.

"Where's Mrs. Duff?" I asked, pulling the visor down and checking my makeup in the mirror. I frowned when I noticed that I had missed covering a bruise on my cheekbone.

"Chicago," he replied. "Visiting her brother." He stopped at a light, pulling up next to a cab.

"She wouldn't come back for this?" I asked, pushing the visor back and glancing over at him, crossing my legs.

Duffy shrugged, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. "She offered… but I know she didn't really like Greenbeans, so it didn't make sense."

I felt a frown pull at my mouth and I gently patted his shoulder. "Well, guess you're stuck with my battered shoulder to cry on."

He gave me a small smile. "I guess I can settle."

"Why, Brian Duffy, you sure do know how to make a girl feel special," I told him, batting my eyelashes as we pulled into the church lot.

* * *

The funeral was horrible. It wasn't Greenly. Everyone was serious and somber and I could feel both Duffy and Dolly's discomfort at the service for their old partner and friend. Ava stood on my other side and I could feel her distraction being away from Aiden. I tried to listen as the preacher spoke, but all I could focus on was the casket holding Greenly's body.

I was jerked out of my stupor as a flash of pain went through my body from my shoulder. "Ow," I hissed, looking up at Duffy.

He gave me an apologetic look. "Sorry, forgot about your shoulder."

"It's okay," I replied. "What's up?"

"It's time to go to the actual burial," Dolly told me.

I looked around and noticed that the church was empty. "Wow, I totally zoned… where's Ava?"

"She said she'd meet you at McGinty's. She wanted to get back to Aiden," Duffy explained.

I nodded. "Can I just go light a couple candles and then we can go to the cemetery?"

The Detectives nodded. "Of course," Dolly told me. "I should do the same."

The three of us approached the front of the church, rows of candles in front of us. I took the time to light six candles, 2 for Connor, 2 for Murphy and 2 for myself, in both Greenly and Rocco's memory.

"God," I thought to myself in prayer. "I know I don't talk to you much and I know I don't talk to you nearly as much as Connor and Murphy do, but that doesn't mean I forgot about you. Things have been really rough and just don't seem to be getting better… I just want things to get better. I won't make you false promises or anything like that, but could you maybe do something for the boys? I know they love you and believe in you… everything they do is for you. Just… give them a break?"

I paused as I felt a hand on my good shoulder and looked up to see Duffy standing over me. He nodded his head towards the door. I held up a finger to let him know I was almost done before bowing my head.

"One other thing… I know you're probably up there having a shot with Rocco and Greenly… let them know I miss them but I hope none of us see them soon. Take care of them… and the rest of us… Amen."

* * *

I pushed the door open to McGinty's. "The party has arrived," I called, tossing my jacket into a booth.

Doc looked up from the bar and gave me a smile. "K-k-k-k-kher, h-h-h-h-h," he stammered. "Ye alrigh'?"

I nodded. "I'm hanging in there Doc." I looked around the bar. "Where is everyone?"

"AUNT KHER!"

I looked towards the back and my eyes widened as I saw Aiden running at me full force before an arm reached out and snagged him up.

"Ye nee' ta settle, lad," Noah told him, stepping into the dimly lit bar, Aiden under his arm.

"Sorry Granda," he replied quietly, looking down.

Noah smirked under his beard and set Aiden on his feet, having a seat in a booth.

"At least I know where they got it from," I commented, making my way towards Noah and sitting across from him, Aiden crawling in beside his grandfather.

"Wha'e'r do ye mea', lass?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That devilish smirk," I told him, wagging my finger. "Totally a MacManus trait."

He chuckled. "Aye, guess me boys do take aft' me a bi'."

"Speaking of…" I glanced around. "Where is double trouble?"

Noah stroked his beard and pulled a cigar from his pocket, sticking it in his mouth. "Dey wen' ta talk ta deir arms ma'."

I nodded slowly. "Romeo too?"

"Aye."

I bit my lower lip and glanced down at Aiden where he was fidgeting. "Hey little dude, where's your mom?"

"Ask and you shall receive."

I glanced up and saw Ava walking towards the bar. "Way to just abandon me early," I told her, leaning back in the booth.

She gave me an apologetic smile as she settled on a stool. "I wanted to get back to Aiden, make sure he wasn't driving Noah here nuts. Or at least, not as bad as I know Connor and Murphy probably were."

I gave Noah a smirk as he started to chuckle. "I ca' take a lo', lass, bu' I tank ye fer th' concer'."

She grinned as Doc set a Coke and a juice box in front of her. "Aiden, come here and get a drink."

"But I wanna sit with Granda!" Aiden cried.

"Go o', lad. 'm no' goin' an'where," Noah reassured him.

With a huff, Aiden slid out of the booth and walked over to his mother, leaving Noah and me alone in the booth.

"I wa' actually 'opin' ta talk ta ye, dear," Noah said quietly.

I looked over at him, my eyebrow raised. "You sound so serious," I replied, my voice just as soft.

He nodded thoughtfully. "May I spea' wi' ye fer a momen'? Privately o' course."

I swallowed, a ball of dread in my stomach. "Of course."

He stood up and gestured towards the back room, his cigar still tucked in his mouth. "Aft' ye."

We quietly made our way to the storage room the boys had been staying in unnoticed. I shoved my hands in the pockets of my dress, turning as Noah closed the door. "Is everything okay?" I asked.

Noah carefully lit his cigar and took a puff before having a seat in one of the spare chairs. "Si' dow' wi' me fer a momen', dear."

I cautiously sat down and crossed my legs, waiting for whatever Noah had to say.

"I don' wan' ta alarm ye, lass," he began. "Bu' I tink ye shoul' know wha' me boys an' I may be getting' enta."

I bit my lower lip. "Meaning…?"

He stroked his beard thoughtfully, his mouth turned down in a frown. "May I be frank wi' ye, dear?"

"I would prefer that, yes."

He nodded. "I don' fersee all o' us makin' et ou' o' dis. 'm goin' ta do me bes' ta protec' me boys as an' goo' Da woul', bu' e'en dough I know Louie… well, 'm no' sure wha' ta expec'."

"So… you think it's going to be a battle, if you will?"

Noah nodded. "Aye… Louie wa' always… 'ow do I pu' et…? He wi' do an'ting to kee' 'imsel' safe. I tink 'e will 'ave a goo' number o' men a' 'is disposal."

"You're telling me that Murphy and…" I cleared my throat, trying to force my stomach out of my throat. "Connor… they probably won't make it out?"

He shook his head. "'m tellin' ye dere's a chance. I don' wan' ye ta be caugh' off guard."

I nodded slowly. "Have you told Ava any of this?" I asked quietly.

"No… wi' th' lad…"

I nodded my understanding. "The boys?"

"Aye, dey are aware o' th' risks."

I swallowed heavily. "Does Connor know you're talking to me? Telling me this?"

Noah hesitated, taking a puff from the cigar and exhaling the smoke. "Why do ye as' dat?"

I gave him a half smile. "Because we both know Connor. And either you're telling me this when he told you not to or you didn't let him know you were going to at all."

Noah let out a chuckle and pulled the cigar from his mouth, tapping the excess ash into a tray. "Aye, guess ye know me boy well, den." He took another puff. "'e ferbid me from talkin' ta ye 'bout et en fac'."

"An' wi' goo' reason…"

We turned towards the door to see Connor filling it, his face angry.

I glanced over at Noah and watched as he calmly took another puff of his cigar. "Fin' wha' ye nee?"

Connor's jaw twitched as he ground his teeth. "Aye."

Noah nodded and stubbed out the cigar, standing to his full height. "Tink I will go see me gran'so'," he told me. He gave me a kiss on the top of the head and gently patted my cheek. "We wi' ta' a bi' mo' late'," he murmured before ducking out of the room, leaving Connor and I alone.

Connor scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. "Wha' di' 'e say ta ye?"

I sighed and crossed my legs. "He just said that this is a little more dangerous than you all may have mentioned, that's all."

"Et's goin' ta be fi'," he told me firmly.

I arched an eyebrow. "Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"

He sighed and ran a hand over his hair. "Didn' wan' ye ta 'ave dose thoughts en yer 'ead..."

I tilted my head to the side. "Conn, I'm not stupid or naïve. You're mixing hatred and weapons... even before Noah said it, I know that's there's a chance you may not come back... it's the risk that has to be taken if you do this." I bit my lower lip and swallowed the lump in my throat. "It's the reason I hate it so much and always have."

He crossed the room and gently wrapped his arms around me, resting his mouth against the top of my head. "I wi' come ba' ta ye," he murmured into my hair. "We're goin' ta 'ave e'eryting I promised ye."

I swallowed and nodded into his chest, closing my eyes as I felt the sting of tears. We stayed in our embrace for a few moments of silence. Finally, I pulled away and looked up at him, resting my chin on his chest. "We should get back out there. There's liquor and Guiness to be drunk in Greenbeans memory."

Connor smirked. "Knew I loved ye fer a reason." He kissed me gently before we moved back out to the bar.

"Who's buying my first drink?" I asked, pulling myself up onto the bartop.

"I got these chica," Romeo told me, tossing bills on the counter.

I raised an eyebrow as Doc set a pint beside me on a napkin. "Trying to get me drunk, Rome?" I asked with a grin.

He chuckled. "I ain't doin' nothin' that might get me in trouble with your leprechaun. I know firsthand that he can kill me and make it look like an accident." He threw back a shot of tequila.

I shook my head. "Sadly, I know you're not wrong."

"'ey Kher!"

I glanced over at Murphy where he stood by a pool table, cue in one hand, pint in the other. "Murphy?"

"Game o' billiards, ye an' me versus Connor an' Ava," he offered.

I chuckled and slid off the bar. "Murph, I'm gonna suck with my shoulder like this. Can I sub someone?"

He gave me a pout. "Don' care ef yer awful. 'm goo' 'nough fer th' bo' o' us."

Connor frowned. "Why do ye ge' me lass as me partner?"

Murphy grinned evilly. "I ca' use 'er ta distrac' ye," he replied.

Ava raised an eyebrow and leaned over the table. "And Connor can't use me to distract you?" she purred, pushing her breasts up against the table.

Murphy's eyes darted to her cleavage before looking at the ceiling. "'m mo' o' a gentleman den me brudder."

I snorted into my beer as Connor let out a bark of laughter. "Gentleman me arse," Connor replied, smacking Murphy on the back of the head.

Ava rolled her eyes and started racking the balls. "Who's gonna break?"

Murphy held out a pool cue. "Lass?"

I rolled my eyes and took it. "You're lucky I like playing pool," I told him, moving to the end of the table. I waited for Ava to lift the rack before bending over the table, lining up my shot.

"Dis kind o' brings back mem'ries, don' et?" Connor growled in my ear.

"Connor, leave 'er th' fuck 'lone," Murphy growled.

I rolled my eyes, lining up my shot. I made contact with the cue ball and it slammed into the balls, scattering them across the table. I stood up with a proud smile. "Better than I expected," I commented.

Murphy grinned. "See? Tol' ye."

"Only counts if you get the balls in the pockets," Ava commented, lining up her shot. She managed to pocket the "10". She shrugged. "Guess that means Conn and I are stripes."

"Murph and me like solids better anyway," I replied.

The game went on with heckling and balls being sunk at a pretty decent clip until Murphy and I were left with the 8 ball, Murphy's turn. Noah, Aiden, Doc and Romeo had joined to watch and I couldn't help but smile at the scene.

Murphy chewed his thumb, contemplating his shot.

"Will ye jus' fuckin' take th' sho' alread'?" Connor complained, his hip against the table as he sipped his pint.

Murphy ignored him. "8 ball, lef' corner," he murmured, pointing the cue.

"Don't mess it up, Murph," Ava purred.

I rolled my eyes. "Ava, don't try to get in his head."

She scoffed. "Like you didn't unbutton your dress on Connor's last turn."

I smirked. "What? It's a little hot in here," I replied.

"No' ye' bu' maybe en a bi'," Connor told me with a leer.

"Promise?" I flirted.

"Um, can you keep it clean in front of the kid?" Ava asked.

I glanced over at Aiden playing with Noah's beard and grinned. "I think little man is occupied."

"Ca' ye all shu' u'?" Murphy complained. "'m tryin' ta win 'ere."

We all went silent watching as Murphy lined up his shot. I held my breath as he took it and squealed when the ball went into the pocket. "We won!" I shrieked, running over to Murphy and jumping on him, wrapping my arm around his neck as he stumbled backwards with a laugh.

"Tol' ye we'd win," he told me, returning the hug.

"Bes' two ou' a tree!" Connor hollered. "Ava an' me were lettin' ye win."

As Connor and Murphy started to bicker, I took the time to look around the bar at everyone and smiled, my hand on the cue. I knew that things would go back to how they'd been and things would have to be serious, but I couldn't help but wish I could freeze the moment in time and make it last forever.

* * *

**AN2:**

Alessandra: It's okay! I'm just so glad you returned! I know I vanished for a bit, so it's understandable! But as long as you're back in full-force! ;-) And yes! Two for the price of one! Haha, we shall see if ConKher made Irish babies. I do not knowwwww. ;-) And I know... I hate to kill Greenbeans... but some thing's can't be helped! And yes... Kher is strong... but she's awfully stubborn, haha. I'm glad you loved the chapters. I do hope I manage to throw you for a loop or two before this is over! :-p And you are too sweet! YOU are the amazing one! And I'm ready to begin our Irish training... just gotta find the boys! Hot, hot, hot! I love you for loving the story and mostly, I just love youuuuuuuuu! :) :) :)

Anonnie: I'm so glad you liked the chapter! I'm trying to stay out of my head and have more confidence in it, but sometimes I just get unsure. I'd rather be self-conscious about it though and be told that I'm being silly than think it's awesome and it's... not. Y'know? I'm trying to just go where the muses take me and it seems to be going well. :) And yes, your tongue lashing comment was great and a bit inspirational, haha. That was my "practice writing smut" chapter. I'm glad it worked! I'm trying here! That means a lot that you think Connor and Murphy are written similarly to their characters. I guess it's a good and bad thing that there are no love interests in the movies, ha. You are the awesome one! I'm so glad you love this story (and me, haha). I look forward to if you ever make an account. You are awesome, wonderful, spectacular, fabulous... should I go on? And huggies... BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I love it! You are great! :)

Lucy: So glad you liked it! And I have a trick or two up my sleeve, so we shall see how I end this little tale. I love the ending of Boondock2 as well, however, I kinda hate it too because it just makes me want a 3rd movie SO BAD! I will promise you, the only way I will leave off with a cliffhanger like that is if I make this a trilogy. I'm not saying which way I'm going, except either this will have a different ending of a movie or it will be a "pause". That's all I'm saying! You know I don't like spoilers! Haha. And yes, TWD fanfic is a plan... once this one is finished, that's my next focus because I'm pretty sure I have ideas, I just need to hammer them out.


	21. Heaven

**Author's Note:** I'm baaaaaack... feels like I disappeared again. I think part of me is kinda like "NO! Don't end!" so maybe I'm avoiding...? Oh well... here's a chapter. It's another filler-y, kinda fluffy one, but the next gets back to the serious (and maybe even sad...) parts, so let's enjoy happiness while we can, yes? Anywho, thank you to all that take the time to read/review/fave/alert and also to those that take the time to recommend this story (and it's parent) to others! I appreciate it so, so much! And special thanks (and hugs... and kisses... and chocolate... and love!) to... **Valerie E Mackin, AislingIsobel, Panicking at a Disco, SilverMoonlit, forgiveyou, "Anonnie", BlueMoonSaint, "Lucy", coffee-ink-fire, "Alessandra"**... you all make this such an adventure and more fun and rewarding then I ever thought possible.

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Heaven (Little by Little) is Theory of a Deadman. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 21 (Heaven):**

"_There's a little piece of heaven, right here where you are... the fact that you keep trying, it's what sets you apart... help me find the reason and I'll help you find a way..."_

"Tamorro'..."

I bit my lower lip, sitting on the edge of the bed. "You found him?" I asked quietly, looking up at Connor from under my lashes.

"Aye," he replied with a nod, crossing his arms over his chest. "Bloo' go' us th' infermation. We wi' be meetin' u' wi' 'er en th' mornin' aft' we ge' th' 'eavy artillery."

I took a deep breath and let it out, puffing out my cheeks, my hands digging into the comforter. "So... I guess this is it... after tomorrow..." I trailed off, not wanting to put what I was thinking into words, not sure what exactly I was trying to say.

Connor nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Aye." He sat on the bed beside me, pressing his lips to my temple before wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me closer to him.

"So, what's the plan?" I asked softly.

He glanced down at me. "I tol' ye I don' wan' ta tell ye too much. Ba' 'nough wha' Da tol' ye."

I shook my head. "I mean after it's all over."

"Oh... I wi' come ba' an' we will decide wha' ta do nex'. Bu' I promise ye... 'm comin' ba' an' et will all be ov'."

I let out a deep breath and nodded slowly, laying my head on his shoulder. "So what are you doing today?" I asked, my fingers plucking at a thread on his jeans.

"'m spendin' th' day wi' me girlfrien'," he replied, kissing the top of my head.

"Oh...?" I looked up, resting my chin on his shoulder. "You should get going then, you don't want to keep her waiting."

He smirked. "Ye tink yer cute, don' ye?"

"No, but you do," I replied, a slow smile spreading over my face.

He gave me a wink and kissed me softly, his hand moving to cup my cheek. He pulled away, resting his forehead against mine. "Wha' do ye wan' ta do taday? We ca' do an'ting ye wan'."

I bit my lower lip in contemplation. Slowly a smile spread over my face. "I know…"

Connor raised an eyebrow. "No' sure I like th' soun' o' dat…"

* * *

"Ye 'ave go' ta be kiddin' me."

I grinned at him and gave his hand a squeeze. "C'mon, it will be fun."

He shook his head and gave me a look of amusement. "Why woul' ye wan' ta come ba' ta dis shi' 'ole?"

I pulled him into the building and walked backwards to the freight elevator, holding both of his hands in mine. "We made some pretty good memories in this 'shi' 'ole'," I retorted, mocking his brogue playfully.

His eyes sparkled with mirth and his mouth curled into a smirk. "Aye, I wi' gi' ye dat." He let his gaze travel the length of my body and bit his lower lip. "Some ver' goo'… migh' I say _dirty _memories, lass."

I pressed my back against the wall of the elevator as Connor pulled the door shut, my stomach dropping as we slowly began the ascent to the 5th floor. He quickly moved across the elevator and pressed himself into me, his lips moving against my neck, his tongue flicking over my pulse point. "'ow's yer should'?" he murmured, moving his mouth to my ear.

"Maybe a little physical therapy is in order," I replied.

I could feel more than hear the low groan deep in his throat as his hands traveled down my body before moving to hitch my leg over his hip. He moved his hands under my shirt, resting on my ribcage, his hands hot against my skin.

"I think we've been here before," I murmured, snaking a finger through his beltloop and pulling him closer, grazing my teeth over his ear.

"Aye," he replied, his breath hot on my collarbone as he closed his mouth over the skin.

The elevator came to a sudden stop and Connor stumbled a bit at the unexpected halt, taking me with him.

"Oof!" he grunted as he fell back, my body on top of him.

"If you wanted me on the floor, you only had to ask," I teased, straddling his waist.

He pushed up on his elbows and smirked at me. "We stayin' en th' lif' o' ye 'ave someting else en min'?"

I pulled myself to my feet and held out my hand for Connor to take. "C'mon, I wanna see the apartment."

He rolled his eyes and let me help him to his feet. He smirked down at me for a second and I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "Yes?" I asked.

Suddenly, he bent down to throw me over his shoulder, his arm around my legs, my head at his back. "Connor!" I squealed with a giggle. "Put me down!"

"No ca' do, girl," he replied and I could hear the grin in his voice. "Though' I migh' gi' ye a lif' meself." He started walking and let out a yelp when I pinched his rear. "Wha' wa' dat fer?" he asked, laying a smack on my own backside.

"I'm not luggage, Conn," I griped, but couldn't help but grin.

He scoffed and stopped. "Wonder ef an'one's livin' 'ere?"

"Connor, I can't see!"

He ignored me and took a deep breath before kicking the door open.

"JESUS FUCKIN' CHRIST!" he bellowed, his free hand flying to his eyes.

"LORD'S NAME! TH' FUCK DO YE TINK YER DOIN'?" a familiar voice bellowed and another let out a shriek.

"Murphy?" I asked, squirming to see what was going on. "Why is Murphy here? Was that Ava?"

"Me eyes," Connor moaned. "'m blinded."

"Shut up Connor and get out!" Ava hissed.

"Connor, put me down!" I cried, trying to squirm out of his grip.

"No, lass, ye don' nee' ta see dis," he replied.

I punched him in the back. "Put me down, the blood's rushing to my head."

With a sigh and his hand still over his eyes, he squatted to put me down. I turned and let out a yelp. Murphy sat on the floor in front of Ava, both obviously naked and based on the flushed tones of their skin, we had interrupted them in the throes. Murphy managed to cover Ava by sitting in front of her, but apparently the only thing he had managed to grab to cover himself was her hot pink bra.

I slapped a hand over my own eyes. "What are you _doing_?" I asked.

"Probably the same thing you two were about to, based on that fresh hickey you're sporting," Ava snapped.

I moved my other hand to cover my neck.

"I guess we're jus' goin' ta go den," Connor muttered. We glanced at each other before turning to walk out the door.

"Oh, and Murph?" I called over my shoulder, not turning around.

"Wha's dat?" he asked, a note of irritation in his voice.

"Pink is so your color," I replied before Connor and I ran out, slamming the heavy door behind us.

"Aft' dat, I nee' a drin'," Connor told me as we stepped back in the elevator and he pulled it shut.

I rolled my eyes. "You always need a drink. Irish stereotype you are."

He scowled. "Go' ta ge' dat image ou' o' me 'ead."

"Well…" I contemplated for a moment. "I think I have some beer at the apartment… unless you wanna go to McGinty's."

"Ye 'ave an' whiskey, lass?" he asked.

I shrugged. "We can get some."

* * *

"You know what we never finished?" I asked, grabbing my bottle of beer off the table, my feet in Connor's lap.

He took a healthy drink of whiskey, his hand gently rubbing my calf. "Wha's dat lass?"

"Twenty questions," I replied, taking a drink, my eyes on him.

He furrowed his brow, his finger gently rubbing the neck of the bottle in his hand. "Wha' are ye goin' o' 'bout?"

I rolled my eyes and sat up, folding my legs under me. "You remember when we first met right?"

He nodded, reaching his hand out and pulling me to straddle his lap. "Aye, don' tink I ca' ferge' dat."

I smiled and drained my beer before setting it on the table and bringing my focus back to him. "Well, we played 20 questions and we only did like 5."

"Ye sayin' ye wan' ta play dat game o' yers no'?"

I shrugged, taking the whiskey from his hand and sipping it, grimacing as it burned my throat. "Blech. Yes, I want to play."

Connor smirked. "Why do ye drink th' Bush ef ye don' like et an' ye ten' ta ge' sick? Reckon et's no' a goo' 'dea."

I rolled my eyes. "That's a question."

Connor groaned. "No' I tink I 'member why we ne'er played."

I grinned. "Shut up, you love me."

He sighed and took the whiskey back. "Aye, I do a bi'." He took another swig. "Ye wan' ta go firs'?"

"I can," I replied. I contemplated for a moment. "Do you miss Ireland?" I asked, taking another drink and swishing it in my mouth before wrinkling my nose and swallowing.

Connor looked thoughtful. "Aye, sometimes. Et's 'ome. Et's familiar. Sometimes I wond' wha' me li' wou' be li' ef Murph an' I 'ad stayed dere." He took a drink of the whiskey before pressing it back into my hand. "One ting ye wan' ta do en yer li'."

I bit my lower lip, tapping my fingers against the bottle. "Good question... shoot a gun."

He raised an eyebrow. "Dat's et? Ye shoul' 'ave tol' me dat befer no'. Woul' 'ave bee' done."

I rolled my eyes. "Ah, yes, my boyfriend the gunman." I brought my hand to my mouth, tapping my index finger against my lips. "Hmmm... craziest place you've had sex."

His cheeks flushed and he took a swig of whiskey. "Ye can' ge' ma' a' me," he warned.

I snorted. "Connor, you're 35 and you weren't a virgin when we got together. I think my fragile heart can take it."

"'ad sex en a graveyar' once. Won' do dat 'gain."

I wrinkled my nose. "Ew, that's so creepy."

He nodded in agreement. "Aye. An' she wa' lou' as well."

I giggled. "Woke the dead?"

He grinned. "Almos', I reckon."

"Okay, go."

"No' I go' ta know yers," he replied, swishing the whiskey bottle and grunting as I adjusted my position on his lap to get more comfortable.

"I'm not very adventurous, Conn," I replied.

He raised an eyebrow. "Yer 'voidin' th' question, lass."

I sighed and picked at a thread on his sweater. "Give me a second... and the whiskey."

Connor scoffed, pressing the bottle into my head. "Too man' options, girl?"

I rolled my eyes and took a drink, my brain starting to feel a bit fuzzy. "Shut up. Craziest place..." I bit my lower lip. "Probably the bed of my high school boyfriend's pickup."

His eyebrows rose a little higher. "Doesn' soun' dat crazy ta me."

"Well, what if it was in his parents driveway in the middle of December during a snowstorm? Does that make it crazier?"

He threw back his head with a laugh. "Dat makes et an e'en bett' story."

"Alright, I lied, it was just flurries. But I still had a cold for a month." I shook my head. "Fuckin' stupid." I gave him back the whiskey. "I'm done with the Bush. You want a beer?" I asked, standing up.

He looked at the bottle and shook his head. "'m goo' wi' dis. An' yer tur'."

I sighed and walked to the kitchen, grabbing a beer from the fridge and opening it before moving back to the living room, straddling his lap again. "Did you really want to ask me to marry you? Before you went back to Ireland before..."

Connor froze mid-sip before slowly lowering the bottle, his eyes on me. "Yer gettin' serious wi' yer questions now."

"Not really... I'm honestly curious." I took a sip of my beer before wrapping my hands around the bottle and holding it my chest. "Not like there's a wrong answer."

He slowly nodded. "Aye... if tings 'ad bee' diff'ren', I woul' 'ave ma' a' hones' lass ou' a ye. Ef ye woul' 'ave accepted, o' course." He met my gaze and swallowed. "Woul' ye 'ave sai' yes?" he asked quietly, his eyes moving to look at the ring on my left hand.

I pressed my lips to his forehead. "There's no way I could have said no. Just might have wanted a long engagement, that's all." I sighed. "You're it for me, Conn. No pressure or anything, but I can't do better than you. And if I can, I really don't want to know."

He gave me a smirk. "Tol' ye befer dat 'm a catch, didn' I?"

I chuckled. "And modest too."

"Aye," he said softly before taking the beer from my hands and setting both bottles on the table.

"And just what do you think you're doing?" I asked quietly as I felt his hand move under my hair on the back of my neck.

"Tink we shoul' take a brea' from our game fer a bi'," he replied, his other hand moving to the small of my back, pressing me closer.

"Oh?" I breathed. "And how will we pass the time?"

He smirked. "Mi' no' be a tru' er a graveyar', bu' dis couch ain' so ba'," he told me before pressing his mouth to mine.

I giggled against his lips, my hand fisting in his sweater as he moved onto his back, pulling me on top of him, our lips locked. His hand moved along my spine, his fingers slipping under the clasp of my bra, gently digging into the skin.

"Connor, me boy, do ye tink- Oi!"

Connor and I pulled our mouths apart and looked up wide-eyed to see Noah standing outside my guest bedroom.

"Da, I didn' tink ye were 'ere," Connor muttered, his cheeks red as I slowly moved off of him.

"Hi, Noah," I muttered, the discomfort in the room at a high.

Noah chuckled. "Well, dis es a bi' awkwar', I reckon," he replied.

"Wha' do ye nee', Da?" Connor asked, his voice strained as he stood and shook his leg.

"Jus' 'ad a question fer ye," his father replied, waving him off. "No' importan'."

"I can just... go... away..." I muttered, still embarrassed at being caught.

Noah shook his head. "Nonsense, dis es yer 'ome." He turned to Connor. "Where's dat brudder o' yers?"

Connor snorted. "Wi' Ava."

Noah furrowed his brow. "Es Aiden wi' dem as well?"

Connor smirked. "Awe, Da do ye miss yer new frien'?"

Noah gave his son a stern look and I couldn't help but giggle. "We didn't see Aiden. Do you want me to call her?" I offered.

He gave me a smile. "Woul' ye dear? I tink et woul' be ni' ta 'ave a dinner tage'er."

I nodded and stood, walking to my bedroom to grab my phone.

* * *

"Can I have some more stew?" Aiden asked, holding his bowl up to his grandfather at the stove.

Hours later, we sat in Ava's dining room, Connor, Murphy, Ava and myself, having dinner as a family with the eldest and youngest MacManus as well.

I smacked Connor's hand as he dipped his bread in my bowl. "Would you mind your manners and keep your grubby hands to yourself?"

He scowled at me. "Bu' me bowl es empty."

"So, ge' off yer lazy arse an' ge' mo'," Murphy pointed out, spearing a carrot from Ava's bowl.

"Seriously?" Ava interjected. "You're eating off my plate and you're going to find fault with your brother."

"Ye don' like carrots," he pointed out.

She rolled her eyes. "That's not even the point."

"Boys," Noah cut in as he and Aiden took a seat with there own bowls filled. "Ge' yer ow'. Dere's mo' den 'nough dat ye ca' 'ave yer ow'."

"And you both need to behave," I continued. "Aiden doesn't need to learn your bad habits."

Aiden grinned at me, shoving a spoonful of stew into his mouth.

"Careful, baby," Ava warned. "It might be hot."

He shook his head. "Granda put an ice cube in it, Mama."

Connor stood up from the table, bowl in hand. Murphy thrust his own empty bowl in his twin's direction. Connor looked from the bowl to his brother, an eyebrow raised. "Someting ye nee'?" he asked snidely.

"Ge' me some stew."

"Ge' yer own," Connor called from the kitchen, ladling a healthy serving into his bowl.

Murphy muttered under his breath, getting up from the table.

I rolled my eyes and looked at Noah. "How did you put up with these two? I think they're even worse than before."

Ava nodded. "They really are. I think they've regressed."

We all looked over at the stove where they were shoving each other and cursing quietly, trying to grab at the ladle. Noah shook his head and turned back to Ava and me. "Tink et's me punishmen' fer missin' de early years wi' dem."

I smothered a chuckled and tore a piece of bread from the loaf in the middle of the table. I picked off a small piece, rolling it into a bar.

"Kher, don't even think it," Ava hissed.

I gave her a look. "Why not?"

She scoffed. "You are just as bad as they are."

"What's she doin', Mama?" Aiden asked.

"Aye, wha' are ye doin', lass?" Connor echoed, sliding into the seat beside me.

I popped the piece of bread in my mouth. "Not a thing," I replied.

"Yer a liar," Murphy replied, sitting down across from me and settling his arm on the back of Ava's chair, sipping his stew straight from the bowl.

I wrinkled my nose. "What, is that your trough?"

He glared at me as Connor snorted back laughter, dipping his spoon into his own bowl.

"Anyway," Ava cut in, shaking her head. "Thank you for the lovely dinner, Noah. It's absolutely delicious."

"E'en dough ye don' like carrots?" Noah asked with a smile.

She giggled. "Even so, still awesome."

Aiden pouted. "Why do I have to eat the onions if Mama doesn't have to eat the carrots?"

"'ll ea' da onions," Connor replied, snaking his spoon out and pulling Aiden's bowl towards him, fishing out the onions.

Ava grimaced. "God, Connor, were you raised in a barn?"

Connor scowled at her, tossing an onion in his mouth. "Lord's name. An' no."

"Uncle Conn, I wasn't finished," Aiden pouted.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed Aiden's bowl, scooping the onions into Connor's. I pushed the bowl back towards Aiden. "Connor, stop stealing from children," I reprimanded.

"'e sai' 'e didn' like onions! I wa' 'elpin'!"

"Ugh, stop whining," Ava muttered.

Murphy shook his head, draining his bowl and setting it back on the table. "An' ye wan'ed ta 'ave a fam'ly supper," he pointed out to his father.

Noah shrugged. "Coul' be worse."

I chuckled and dipped my bread into my bowl before tossing it in my mouth and pushing my bowl away. "Alright, I'm stuffed."

We all slowly finished dinner with quiet conversation before Aiden let out a big yawn.

"Ye tired, lad?" Noah asked, standing up from the table and grabbing his bowl.

"No," Aiden replied, being cut off by another giant yawn.

"Noah, you cooked, let the boys clear the table," I told him.

Connor turned to look at me wide eyed. "Wha'?"

I shoved him lightly. "Make yourself useful." I glanced over at Murphy. "You too."

The darker haired twin opened his mouth to retort, but Ava slapped her hand over it, cutting him off. "She's right. Just do it."

Both brothers scowled, but stood up, slowly clearing the table.

Ava looked over at her son. "I think someone's ready for bed," she remarked.

"But, Mama, I'm not sleepy!" Aiden defended, his eyes half mast.

"All that stew did him in," I replied with a smile.

"Ye min' ef I pu' 'im ta be'?" Noah asked quietly.

Ava smiled. "By all means, I'm sure he'd like that."

"'mon, lad, I wi' te' ye a story," Noah told him, gently picking up the sleepy boy and carrying him to his room where the disappeared.

Ava sighed and leaned back in her chair.

I raised an eyebrow at her, cradling my chin in my hands. "Look like something's on your mind," I told her.

She shrugged, folding her arms over her chest. "I'm just trying to not to think about tomorrow," she told me quietly.

I bit my lower lip and nodded slowly, my mood quickly sobering. "Yeah..."

She looked at me, her expression serious. "You think they're gonna be okay?" she asked, her eyes darting to the kitchen where Connor was rinsing the dishes before giving them to Murphy to put in the dishwasher.

I swallowed, trying to ignore the gnawing worry in my stomach. "I really hope so," I told her quietly, my nails picking at the placemat.

* * *

**AN2:**

Anonnie: Oh good! I love reactions! Good, bad, sad, whatever! Well... maybe not bad... like if you hated it, that wouldn't be good... anyway, starting to babble. This is a little more light, kinda fluffy stuff. I think I was missing it so I wanted to insert a little... but next chapter... mehhhhhhh... I've started it and it makes ME sad... I look forward to how you will feel towards it. As always thank you for the review! You are wonderful and I love you and I'm so glad you have stuck with me and intend to stay! :) :) :)

Lucy: I don't like to give spoilers! That's no fun! Haha! And you crack me up! I'm glad you liked the chapter and reviewed it (as you always do, which is amazing!). And I will do my bestest to write a TWD fanfic! Especially with those threats, haha! I have ideas swirling in my head, but I want to finish this one before turning my focus to something else. So you may have to be patient with me. But it will happen! :) And I hate when I forget to take my pill. ;-)

Alessandra: Awe! Don't cry! Don't be sad! Somehow things will work out the way they are supposed to! Not going to say what that means, but yeah! ;-) And I'm glad you love ConKher. I'm a fan of them as well. :) And yes, they do have some pretty incredible sex, don't they? Even if I am all weird about writing it, haha. As for Irish twin hunting... um, yes, I would love to have them look like them naked. And naturally I have watched that scene a zillion times. I really wish Troy Duffy had put it in the movie! It was hilarious (plus they were naked). Best scene ever! ;-) Love you my dear! :)


	22. With Me

**Author's Note:** This chapter breaks my heart. Seriously. I hope it flows, it was really giving me a hard time as I tried to decide what works, what didn't, what I needed, etc. Please let me know your thoughts. Thank you to all those that have read/reviewed/favorited/alerted. And also, thank you for the PMs. You all are absolutely amazing. Huge thanks and appreciation and love to... **AislingIsobel** (you have been such a huge help and dear friend... thank you!)**, coffee-ink-fire, Valerie E. Mackin, "Lucy", iforgiveyou, SilverMoonlit, "Alessandra", "Anonnie"**... I adore all of you. Thank you.

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. With Me is Sum41. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

_**MATURE CONTENT AHEAD! I REPEAT, MATURE CONTENT AHEAD! I'll be honest... I'm really not sure about it. I know I say that everytime, but it's not like I'm lying (I babble a lot, I apologize). If sexy times aren't your thing, skip the italicized section. It's short anyway. And you won't really miss anything if you do skip it. Otherwise, enjoy the chapter. I warned you. :-D**_

**Chapter 22 (With Me):**

"_I want you to know... with everything I won't let this go... these words are my heart and soul... I'll hold on to this moment you know as I bleed my heart out to show... and I won't let go..."_

I woke up, swallowing a scream and sitting up, trying to see through the darkness of Ava's guest bedroom. I ran a hand through my sweaty hair, trying to catch my breath, my other hand resting against my chest, attempting to slow my rapid heartbeat. I couldn't pinpoint the reason for my sudden terror, but a ball of dread felt heavy in my stomach. I glanced to my left to make sure I hadn't woken Connor. He lay on his stomach undisturbed, his mouth open, his breathing steady and the sheet pooled at his waist, exposing the length of his back and the crucified Christ tattoo on his back seemed to almost glow in the moonlight. I bit my lower lip, my breathing gradually slowing. I glanced over at the clock to see that it was only 3:00 a.m. I let out a shaky sigh and threw my legs over the side of the bed, carefully getting up. I glanced back at Connor when I heard a rustling of movement, but he was only adjusting as he let out a quiet snore.

I looked around the room trying to find something to throw over my pajamas, finally settling on Connor's pea coat, slipping it over my shoulders. I took a moment to inhale the scent of him, a slight calm settling over me as it filled my nostrils. I quietly tiptoed out of the room, pulling the door shut gently and making my way across the apartment, snagging my keys off the coffee table and stuffing them in the pocket. I needed to clear my head and I knew it would take some time before I could fall back asleep, if sleep was even possible.

The hall lights flickered ominously as I made my way down the hallway, my bare feet barely making a sound against the worn carpet as I approached the emergency exit that led to the roof of the building. I pushed the door open, the hinges shrieking from disuse, but the alarm stayed silent, as I knew it would. I padded up to the roof and pushed the door open, shivering as a blast of cool night air hit me, my free hand tightening the coat around me. I raised an eyebrow as I realized the door had opened easily and hadn't been latched, indicating that someone else was already up there.

I looked across the roof and saw Murphy's back, the bottom half of Jesus on the cross leading to a pair of low-riding plaid lounge pants. A cloud of smoke floated into the air surrounding him, but he was completely still, almost seeming as though he were simply a piece of the landscape. I slowly made my way over to join him, my feet silent over the rooftop. As I came up beside him, he held out a newly lit cigarette, the tip glowing brightly, smoke curling into the air.

"Tink ye may nee' one as well," he murmured, not taking his gaze off of the city of Boston below, his own cigarette tucked between his lips.

"Thanks," I muttered, accepting the offered cancer stick between my index and middle fingers, taking a puff and blowing the smoke into the twinkling night sky.

We stood in comfortable silence for several moments, watching the cars move below, the city still bustling even at this late hour.

"Couldn't sleep?" I finally asked, taking another drag.

Murphy sighed. "No' really. Ne'er really able ta slee' befer dese tings. Too mu' ta consider."

"Your brother doesn't seem to have that problem," I pointed out, tapping the ash over the railing.

He chuckled and took a final drag of his own cigarette before flicking it over the building to the streets below. "Fer all 'is plannin' an' worryin', 'e doe' see' ta slee' jus' fi'."

I shoved my hand into the coat pocket and bounced on the balls of my feet. "Ava okay?"

Murphy nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. "Aye, she's seems ta be sleepin' jus' fi' as well." He glanced over at me. "Wha' are ye doin' up?"

I sighed and took another drag, exhaling the smoke through my nostrils, welcoming the burn. "I think I had a nightmare... not sure what it was about, but it was enough to make me not want to sleep."

"Ye worried, lass?"

I tossed the cigarette over the ledge and turned, resting my back against the railing, bringing my right hand to my mouth as I started gnawing my thumbnail. "I'm really trying not to be... but when has anything gone smoothly for us?"

He chuckled. "Ye 'ave a poin'." He moved his hands to grip the railing and leaned forward slightly, the muscles in his biceps tensing.

"Can I ask you a question and you'll answer me honestly?" I asked, my voice hushed.

"Course ye ca'," he replied.

"Do you really think you'll all come back?" I wrapped my left arm around my stomach waiting for his answer.

He regarded my question for a moment, tilting his head back to look at the night sky. "I don' tink we'll ma' et ou' unscathed... bu' I do belie' dat Go' wi' gui' us ou'."

I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding.

"I don' belie' we woul' 'ave co' ba' ta all dis ef et wa' jus' goin' ta be taken 'way," he continued.

I nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense," I replied. I glanced over my shoulder at the street, biting my lower lip. "You ever think about what things would have been like if you'd never run into me at McGinty's that day?" I looked up at him.

Murphy smiled. "Dat momen' changed all o' our lives, didn' et?"

I smiled at the memory, looking down at my feet. "I never thought I'd be so thankful that someone ruined my shirt," I replied.

He chuckled but didn't respond.

I pushed myself off the railing. "I think I'm going to try to get more sleep."

Murphy gave me a smile. "Goo' idea, lass. 'll wal' ba' wi' ye." He guided me towards the door, his hand on the small of my back. We made our way to the apartment in silence until we reached the guest room door.

"Thank you, Murph," I told him quietly.

He cocked his head to the side. "Fer wha'?"

I shrugged. "Just... thank you," I told him, kissing him gently on the cheek.

"Yer welcome den," he replied, wrapping me in a hug and kissing me on the top of the head. "See ye en a few hours."

I nodded and quietly ducked back into the room, shutting the door behind me. I slipped Connor's coat off my shoulders and onto the bedpost before sliding back into bed beside him, my back to him.

"Where'd ye go?" he asked, his voice clogged with sleep.

"Just needed to clear my head," I whispered.

He grunted quietly, snaking an arm around my waist, pulling my back to his front. He brought his leg between mine and I sighed as I felt his breath against the back of my neck. "Ge' some res', Kher," he urged, pressing a soft kiss to my neck.

I let my eyes flutter shut and managed to slip into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

_I opened my eyes slowly, squeezing them shut as the sunlight shining through the window cut into my eyes. I blinked rapidly and glanced at the clock. 6:45. I sighed quietly and adjusted my hips, trying to grab a few more moments of sleep._

_"Bes' sto' doin' dat, lass."_

_A smile slowly spread over my face a shiver ran down my spine as Connor's hot breath ghosted over my neck. "And what's that?" I asked quietly, carefully turning in his arms to face him._

_"Ye know wha'," he replied, his eyes closed and a smirk on his lips._

_I reached my hand up and gently mapping my fingertips over his face._

_"Wha' are ye doin'?" he asked, his hand moving to the small of my back, kneading the base of my spine with his fingers and pulling my pelvis to his._

_"Memorizing," I replied, my fingers tracing over his lips._

_He nipped at my finger before I moved it to his cheekbone. Slowly, he opened his bloodshot eyes, his blue irises almost electric. A smile spread over his face as he stared._

_"What?" I asked, my hand moving to the back of his neck, my fingers pulling gently at the short hairs._

_Connor pressed his lips to mine, his mouth sleepy hot and stale, but his taste was still addicting, nicotine and whiskey. I sighed into the kiss as he gently ran the tip of his tongue over my lips, his erection growing between us._

_I parted my lips and gently touched my tongue to his and shivered as he groaned into my mouth, rolling me onto my back, his body over mine. His hand moved between us and I gasped as he shoved my underwear to the side, his middle finger touching me._

_He pulled his mouth away with another groan. "Christ, Kher, yer we'."_

_I whimpered as he dipped his finger inside me, my legs parting. He pulled his hand from between my thighs, my underwear clutched in his fist. He tossed the lace to the side and flattened his palm on the mattress, his other hand cradling my jaw as he kissed me again. I moved my own hands to push his pants over his hips, his cock springing to meet me, sliding over my clit. I arched my back and wrapped a hand around him, slowly guiding him into me, the nails on my other hand digging into his shoulder._

_"Fuck, fuck, fuck," he chanted quietly as we came together. His hand curled into the sheets, his mouth opened against mine. His eyes burned with lust and slowly he began to move._

_"Mmmm," I groaned quietly. "Don't stop," I whispered._

_He wrapped his arms around me and rolled to his back, pulling me on top of him, not breaking our contact. "Couldn' ef I wan'ed ta," he muttered, his hands gripping my hip bones._

_I moved my hands to settle over his, lacing our fingers and moving them to either side of his head. I rolled my hips against him and covered his mouth with mine, both of us taking up a lazy pace, just savoring the connection, knowing that this could be it. He bucked his hips into me and hissed when I nipped at his bottom lip._

_"Trying to tell me something?" I whispered against his mouth._

_He rolled us again so I was on my back and moved back, bringing my leg to rest on his shoulder before snapping his hips forward. My eyes widened and I sucked in a breath as he licked his thumb before running it over my clit, his thrusts growing stronger. I pressed my lips together, breathing heavily through my nose as I tried to keep quiet._

_"Le' me 'ear ye, Kher," he whispered, sweat beading on his forehead. "Can' 'ave ye quiet li'."_

_I grit my teeth and threw my head back as he pulled all the way out before slamming back in. "Connor," I hissed._

_"Dat's et, girl," he muttered, pinching my clit between his index and middle finger._

_"I'm gonna come, Connor," I gasped, feeling the coiling in my stomach._

_He moved, bending me practically in half as he pressed his lips to mine, swallowing my moan as I fluttered around him. He groaned low in his throat, his hips stuttering as he released inside me._

_Slowly, he moved off of me, lying down beside me as we both caught our breath, coming down from our high, crashing back to reality._

* * *

This was it.

I sat on Ava's couch, my nails digging into my palms, watching Connor like a hawk. He slipped his holsters into place over his shoulders and around his thighs, avoiding my gaze as he prepared. Gone was the easy banter that we had shared most of the day before. Ava and Murphy were in her room as Murphy prepared himself. Aiden was still asleep, all of us wanting to keep him innocent just a little bit longer as much as we could. Noah was in the kitchen, wiping over his vest and checking each of his guns carefully, giving Connor and me a few moments alone as best he could.

I swallowed and opened my mouth to speak but closed it for what felt like the hundredth time, not knowing what to say.

"Ef ye 'ave something ta say, jus' say et, Kher," Connor told me quietly. "Don' star' 'oldin' ba' no'."

"I have a bad feeling," I muttered.

"Wha' kin' o' ba' feelin'?" he asked, still not making eye contact as he grabbed his weapons, checking them for what seemed like the millionth time before setting them back down again..

"You can look at me, you know," I told him.

He sighed and looked up at me. "Wha' kin' o' feelin'?" he asked again.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I just feel it in my gut."

"Tink yer jus' nervous?" he asked, moving around the coffee table and taking a seat beside me.

I sighed and laid my head on his shoulder. "Maybe… the last time we were here…" I trailed off.

He frowned and took my hand, lacing our fingers. "Ye mea' Yakavetta an' Roc?"

I sighed and nodded. "You didn't come back." I looked at him, my eyes wide. "Connor, what if you don't come back?"

He shook his head. "We wi' come ba', alrigh'? Wil' 'orses couldn' kee' me 'way fro' ye. I promise."

"You can't promise that," I whispered.

He cradled my jaw in his hands. "Kherin'to', if I tell ye notin' else… I will be ba' fer ye." He pressed his lips to my forehead and I squeezed my eyes shut. I wrapped my hands around his wrists and we sat there in silence. There really wasn't anything left to say. I took a shaky breath. "When are you leaving?" I whispered, my voice thick, my eyes still closed.

"Whe' Rome ge's 'ere. We're goin' ta go ta mass an' den mee' Bloo'."

"Will you…" I trailed off, my throat clogged as I slowly opened my eyes.

He cocked his head to meet my gaze. "Wha', girl?"

"Just hold me? Until you have to go?"

He lay down on the couch, pulling me on top of him. I tucked my head under his chin and he gently rubbed his hand up and down my spine as I tangled my legs with his. His rosary peeked out of his black sweater and my fingers gently touched at the beads.

"Wha' are ye tinkin'?" he murmured against the top of my head.

I took a shaky breath. "I'm wishing that I was selfish enough to ask you to stay."

"Why's dat?"

"Because maybe then you wouldn't go…"

Connor sighed and tightened his arms around me. "'f I 'ad anudder choice, I woul' stay… ye know dat."

I bit my lower lip and brushed a tear away. "I know."

We both glanced up as Ava's bedroom door opened. Ava stumbled out, her eyes rimmed in red, Murphy close behind. I burrowed my face into Connor's chest, not wanting to let go.

There was a soft knock at the door and my fingers tightened on Connor's rosary, knowing time was about to be up. I looked up as Ava let Romeo in the apartment, her entire body seeming to sag with resignation.

"Time fer me ta go, lass," Connor told me gently.

I swallowed and forced myself to sit up, my entire body heavy with resistance. I stood up, my legs shaky and weak, my bottom lip trembling as I tried to hold back my emotions. Romeo came up behind me and laid a hand on my arm. I looked at him, giving him a watery smile. "You be safe, amigo… ya hear?" I croaked.

He nodded. "I'll do my best chickadee." He opened his arms. "Think I can get a little snuggling in before I go?"

I chuckled and hugged him tight. "I will see you again soon," I murmured.

"It's going to be fine," he replied quietly, gently rubbing my back.

"Watch yer 'ands," Connor snapped at him.

Romeo quickly let go and lifted his hands in surrender. "Just sayin' bye," he told him stepping back.

Connor gave Romeo a look while shoving his guns into their respective holsters. "Bet' be all yer doin'."

I sighed and glanced over my shoulder to see Noah step into the living room, his vest in place and sunglasses over his eyes. He grabbed his trenchcoat off of the arm of the couch and shrugged it over his shoulders. "Ye boys 'bout read' ta go?" he asked, brushing off his sleeve.

"Aye, Da," Murphy murmured.

I turned to look at Noah as he approached me. "You'll be careful?" I asked quietly. "You'll take care of them? And you?"

He nodded. "I wi' do me bes'."

I swallowed and nodded in reply. He gently wrapped me in a hug, his beard tickling my nose as he rubbed my back. "Ye wi' be fi', dear. No matt' wha'."

I hugged him tight. "I hope so."

He kissed the top of my head and let me go, moving over to Ava. I turned to see Murphy standing behind me, his hands shoved in his pockets. "Ye alrigh' girl?" he asked, his head cocked to the side.

"If I say yes, will you believe me?" I retorted.

He chuckled. "No, prob'ly no'." He sighed. "We wi' be alrigh'. Migh' no' be perfec', bu' alrigh', like I tol' ye."

I nodded, taking a deep breath, my eyes burning. "Okay," I whispered.

He wrapped me in a hug and I breathed him in, trying to memorize everything about him. "I love ye girl... love ye like th' sister I ne'er 'ad."

I fisted my hands in his coat at his shoulders, taking a gasping breath. "I love you, too, Murphy," I choked out.

He gave me one last squeeze before pulling back. He rested his hands on my cheeks and pulled me to him, giving me a kiss on my forehead. "Take care o' yersel', alrigh'? An' me boy an' me lass... trustin' ye wi' all o' ye."

I nodded, his image blurred by my tears, unable to speak. He stepped back, moving to say his goodbyes to Ava.

I wiped at my eyes and looked at Connor as he stepped to me. He stood in front of me and we stared at each other in silence, the seconds ticking by. I took in every plane of his face... the scruff on his chin... the lips that took my breath away... the laughter lines around his eyes... the light brown spikes of his hair... and finally, the blue eyes that were drinking me in as well. He reached out and pulled me to him, his mouth covering mine in a kiss that stole my breath and made my world stop, lasting forever and ending too soon all at the same time.

"I will be ba' fer ye," he whispered fiercely, his own eyes bright with unshed tears. "Our story esn' o'er ye'."

I nodded, tears spilling over my cheeks. "I love you, Connor. I love you so much."

He forced a smile, his hands resting on my cheeks. "Wai' fer me dis time."

I shook my head. "You don't even have to tell me that... I'll wait forever for you."

He pressed his lips to mine one last time, wrapping his arms around me tightly and lifting me off the ground. My heart was pounding in my ears and my lungs were screaming for oxygen, but I barely noticed.

Connor let me go and took a step back, slipping his sunglasses over his eyes. The men gave Ava and me one last nod before they filed out the door. Romeo, Murphy, Noah, Connor. As Connor pulled the door shut, he looked at me one last time before it closed.

I took a shaky breath and looked at Ava, who looked tearfully back at me.

"And now... we wait," she breathed, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

* * *

**AN2:**

Lucy: Awe, thank you! You are wonderful for taking the time to read and review and just talk to me. ;-) I know, I don't want it to end either, but I am excitedto try different things. I don't want to do too much at a time because I don't want to get overwhelmed and take on too much at a time. And I try to post chapters fairly quickly and not make people wait too long. I hate when that happens to me so I don't want to be a hypocrite. Plus I love feedback, so it's also for selfish reasons. I wanted to try to put in a bit of brotherly interaction because I feel like that has been missing a bit. And yes! The air vent scene in 1 and the forklift scene in 2... they are so fun with the brotherly quarreling! I love you my dear! You are such a joy!

Alessandra: Haha, I'm shocked it hasn't happened a little more. ;-) I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as you always seem to. :) And even when I finish writing this one, I'm not gonna just stop writing. But all good things do eventually come to an end. We will see where we go from here. And you really want those Irish babies, don't you? Haha. We shall seeeeee. And thank you for the compliments and the review. And I love you! :)

Anonnie: I'm glad you liked it! I know it was filler-y, but I wanted just a little more lightheartedness. This next chapter is just... ugh, it kills me. I'm not going to say no to a trilogy, but I will say that for now I'm going to do a couple one shots and then move over to The Walking Dead or something. I don't want to get burned out on this and I don't want to get redundant. But I do love ConKher, so I have a feeling that there may be more in the future, you'll just have to be patient with me. That makes me feel so good that you actually SQUEAL over my updates! OMG! Seriously, I love it! And meh, no need to be lady like all the time. ;-) And who cares if they stare, haha. You're the one having a good time and showing it. I love you, love your reviews, love that you love me... just so much love!


	23. With or Without You

**Author's Note:** Hey guys... I'm alive, I swear! So, things have been a little nutty. I'm dog sitting this week so I haven't been home and I think that's just totally wrecking my schedule/psyche. And this chapter has been THE DEVIL! I'm still not too happy with it... but I'm not sure what else I can do. And I miss you guys... so, if it's absolutely awful? Please let me know (in a nice, sweet way... please?). But anyway. I missed you guys! A lot! I know this was a pretty big updateless gap. But here. I'm back. I wish I had something better to offer, ha. I'm thinking that there may only be two or three chapters left. Not 100% sure, but the powers that be seem to be telling me that this needs to close... that could be why I'm having such difficulty. Anyway, let me shut up. Super big thank yous and love to all that read/reviewed/favorite/alert/PM. Special thanks to... **"Lucy", Valerie E. Mackin **(who is wonderful and a huge support... and you all should mosey over to her stories... they're pretty spectacular... which I totally should have mentioned before now)**, "Anonnie"****, AislingIsobel **(another huge support and dear friend... thank you for holding my hand through writer's block! Your tweets and PM's have really been so amazing and you're my buddy... guys, read her stories too! So good!)**, SaraLostInes, Xakibaphox, coffee-ink-fire, iforgiveyou, SilverMoonlit, PiercedHeart114 **(welcome to the family, haha!). I love you guys and I can't tell you how much I appreciate your continued support!

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. With or Without You is U2. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 23 (With or Without You):**

"_Slight of hand and twist of fate... on a bed of nails she makes me wait... and I wait with you... with or without you..."_

"We should have heard something by now…"

I glanced over at Ava as she wrung her hands together. I looked up at the clock. It's only 1:45, A," I told her quietly, looking down at my knees, running my palms over them. "They left at 8:00."

"Exactly!" she snapped, jumping to her feet and starting to pace. "They've been gone almost _six_ hours. We should have heard _something_."

I sighed and leaned back into the couch. "Ava… they were going to church before they met with Eunice. They probably didn't even leave the city until at least 9:30, probably closer to 10... and God only knows where they were heading."

She scowled at me. "Aren't you worried about this? Aren't you concerned at all?"

"Of course I'm worried," I snapped. "But it's not going to do any of us any good to freak out about it just yet."

"How the fuck can you be so _calm_?" she replied, running a hand through her hair.

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Apparently one of us has to be." I opened my eyes to see Ava walking away. "Where are you going?"

"To check on Aiden," she replied, disappearing into his room.

I sighed and rubbed my hands over my face. I tried to swallow down the anxiety in my stomach and to think about anything except Connor. Or Murphy. Or Noah. Or Romeo. "Ugh!" I shrieked, throwing a pillow across the room. I picked up my phone and looked at it, almost willing it to ring. I jumped as it suddenly vibrated in my hand. "CONN" flashed on the screen. My eyes grew into saucers and I answered the call, lifting the phone to my ear.

"Connor?" I whispered.

"_Aye, et's me_," he replied just as quietly, his voice thick.

"Are you okay?" I breathed. "What's wrong?"

"_Et's done_," he told me. "_Et's o'er_."

I bit my lower lip and looked up as Ava came out of Aiden's room, the phone to her own ear. "You're coming home?"

Connor hesitated on the other end. "_I don' know whe' bu' I wi' come ba'. I tol' ye I woul_'."

"Connor, what does that mean? What's wrong?"

"_Kher, I shoul' go, I jus' nee'ed..._" He took a deep breath. "_I love ye_."

"Connor, wait!" I called as the call was disconnected. I slowly lowered the phone from my ear and looked up at Ava as she threw her own phone across the room. "I take it your call went well, too?"

She shook her head. "He didn't tell me anything. What am I supposed to tell Aiden when he asks where his dad is?"

I stood up and laid my hands on her shoulders. "Just one step at a time, okay?"

She let out a shaky breath and squeezed her eyes shut. "Kher, I can't lose him again. I can't look my baby in the eye and tell him his father isn't coming back."

I pulled her into a hug as I felt the sting of tears in my eyes. "We are not giving up on them. They told us they would be back, they _will_ be back."

Ava nodded against my shoulder. "I know... I'm just..." She took a deep breath and a step back, her watery eyes meeting mine. "I'm just so _scared_. This doesn't _feel_ right, does it?"

I bit my lower lip and shook my head. "Look... let's get Aiden and go get some lunch... okay? It can't be good for us to be cooped up in this apartment, right?"

"But what if they come back and we're not here?" she asked.

"It will be fine, okay?"

She chewed her lower lip, but slowly nodded. "You're right..." She took a deep breath and cracked her knuckles. "Let me grab Aiden and we'll go to Denny's or something..."

"Moons Over My Hammy?" I said with a grin.

She forced a chuckle. "Only the best for my boy."

"Can I go grab him?" I asked.

She nodded. "I'll get my stuff together."

I walked into Aiden's room to see he was playing on the floor with his army men. "Whatcha doin', bubba?"

He looked up and gave me a toothy grin. "I'm playing Army. Don't tell Uncle Conn, but I totally won and captured all his men."

I felt my chest tighten a bit but forced a smile. "It will be our secret," I promised. I cleared my throat. "Are you hungry? Do you wanna get some food with me and your mom?"

He jumped to his feet, nodding furiously. "Yes!" He wrapped himself around my leg as I ruffled his hair. "Are dad and Uncle Conn and Granda coming?"

I gently pulled him off my leg and shook my head. "They're still running errands, so not today."

He frowned up at me. "Well, can we get them some food? For when they get back?"

I walked out of the room and shrugged. "We'll have to..." I trailed off as I looked up and saw Detective Duffy standing in Ava's doorway. "See..."

Duffy glanced over Ava's shoulder, his mouth set in a grim line as he met my gaze. "Kher, we need to talk," he told me.

I swallowed and looked at Ava as she turned, her face blank. "Aiden, let's go get some food," she told him, holding out her hand.

"Isn't Aunt Kher coming with us?" he asked, walking over to join his mother.

"She needs to talk to Detective Duffy," Ava replied. She glanced up at me. "Call me when you're through."

I nodded slowly, fixing my gaze on Duffy as Ava and Aiden left the apartment. "Brian... what's going on?"

He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "Connor and Murphy were just arrested," he told me quietly.

I felt my breath catch in my throat. "What?"

"The FBI... they caught on to Eunice's ulterior motives... she got the boys the address but then she just disappeared. But the FBI was up there waiting."

I shook my head. "Waiting where?"

"They had to go to Maine."

I bit my lower lip and leaned against the wall, slowly sliding to the floor. "What about Noah? And Romeo?"

Duffy hesitated, avoiding my gaze.

"Oh God... they're dead?" I felt my stomach roll.

"Just Noah... Romeo's wounded... hell, Connor and Murphy are wounded as well."

I felt my knees buckle and I fell to the couch, my hands at my mouth. "Noah's dead?" I whispered.

Duffy nodded and took a seat beside me. "There was nothing they could do..."

I bit my lower lip, blinking back the tears. I took a shaky breath and turned my blurred vision to Duffy. "Do they know that you and Dolly are part of this too?" I asked quietly.

He shook his head. "I don't think so. If they do, nothing's been done."

I squeezed my eyes shut trying to stay calm. "You told Ava all this?"

He nodded. "I asked if she wanted to stay while I told you, but she doesn't want Aiden to know. Not yet."

"Probably a good idea." I looked up. "Brian, what the fuck are we gonna do?"

He opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by a sharp knock at the door. We both looked up before turning back to each other. "You expecting anyone?" he asked.

I slowly shook my head. "No..." I took a deep breath and walked to the door, pulling it open.

A man in a dark charcoal gray suit stood at the door. He was tall and broad, his expression serious but smug. A shock of dark hair fell over his forehead and his brown eyes were looking me over, seeming to know everything I had ever thought. "Kherington Harris?" he asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Who are you?" I replied.

He gave me a smirk and flipped open his badge. "Special Agent John Kuntsler, FBI."

I narrowed my eyes and looked up at him. "What do you want?"

He glanced over my shoulder and scowled when he saw Duffy. "Why is it, Detective Duffy, that everytime there's something going on with anyone in this little circle, you tend to be there? Makes a person wonder."

"Kherington has been one of my informants for years, Agent Kuntsler," Duffy replied calmly. "I was checking in with her."

"What _convenient _timing_,_" Kuntsler hissed before turning his attention back to me. "If you don't mind Ms. Harris, I'd like to ask you a couple of questions."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "On what grounds?"

A flash of annoyance passed over the agent's face. "On the grounds that you were one of the last people to see the MacManus brothers."

"And if I do mind?"

He smirked. "Oh, sweetheart. That was just me being polite. I could give a shit on whether you mind or not."

* * *

"Where. The fuck. Are. They?"

I sat in the interrogation room, my arms crossed over my chest. Special Agent Kuntsler's face was so close I could see the poppy seeds stuck in his teeth and smell the onion bagel on his breath. I forced myself not to gag. "I told you. I don't _know_."

He slammed his fist on the table and shoved himself off. "And I told _you_ that I don't believe that you have no clue on where they're hiding!"

I grit my teeth, digging my fingers into my biceps. "They didn't tell me where they were going. And last I heard they were coming back. So I don't know where they would be." I looked up at him, my eyes narrowed. "And considering it was _your_ men that arrested them... shouldn't you _know_ where they are?"

He bared his teeth at me in a snarl. "Don't sass me, girl. I will throw your boyfriend away to rot for years and put you in the cell down the hall."

I rolled my eyes. "Your threats mean nothing since you can't even find him. And I didn't do anything."

He paced the interrogation room, his hands balled into fists at his side.

"You have nothing," I told him quietly. "And I can't help you. So why don't you just do us both a favor and let me go?"

He slammed his fist on the table so hard it jumped and moved closer to me. "You will tell me what I want to know."

"How can I give you information when I don't have it?" I retorted.

Kuntsler opened his mouth to retort but was cut off by a knock on the door. He gave me a glare before walking to the door and pulling it open. "What?" he snapped at the uniformed officer.

"There's a call for you in the office," the officer told him quietly.

Kuntsler grit his teeth and glanced back at me. "We aren't finished," he warned, walking out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

I shook my head and leaned my elbows on the table in front of me, rubbing my hands over my face. I glanced up as the door slowly opened and Duffy slid in. "Is it good cop time now that I've had so much alone time with bad cop?" I asked.

Duffy chuckled and took a seat across from me. "He shouldn't be able to keep you much longer," he told me quietly. "He's chasing his tail right now. You're his only lead and you're really not much of one."

I let out a sigh of relief. "Good." I swallowed. "Ava and Aiden okay?"

He gave me a nod. "They're safe." He reached across and grabbed my hand, clasping it between his. "It's going to be fine."

I felt the paper between our palms but tried to stay calm. I nodded and bit my lower lip. "I know," I murmured.

He gave me a knowing look before squeezing my hand and standing up from the table. "Stay strong, alright?"

I nodded as he walked out the door closing it behind him. I carefully brought my hand back and stuffed the paper in my pocket, resting my hands on the table just as Special Agent Kuntsler re-entered the room, his expression grim and full of disappointment.

"You may go," he growled, his eyes on me.

I nodded and slowly stood, making my way around the table. He roughly grabbed my elbow and dragged me out of interrogation into the station.

"Let go of me!" I cried, trying to shove him off. "You are hurting me!"

He snarled and ripped his hand away as we stood at the doors, officers watching the exchange. "I wouldn't leave town if I were you," he warned.

I gave a sharp nod. "Wouldn't dream of it," I replied, pushing the doors open and walking onto the sidewalk. I moved to the curb and extended my arm, feeling the hatred of his gaze on my back. A cab quickly pulled up and I threw myself into the back.

"Where to?" the cabbie asked.

I bit my lower lip and pulled out the paper, looking it over. "Um… could you take me to McGinty's? The Main Street entrance, please?"

"You got it."

* * *

I knocked on the door quickly, glancing over my shoulder before shoving my hands in my pockets. I drew in a breath as the door was pulled open, Doc on the other side.

"G-g-g-g-g-get en ou' o' th-th-th-th-th…" He shook his head to clear it. "Come in."

I stepped over the threshold into the darkened room, a set of stairs before me.

"Lasses f-f-f-f-first," Doc stammered.

I nodded and made my way up the stairs, pushing open the door. A dusty apartment was on the other side, pieces of furniture placed haphazardly about. Standing in the middle of the room was a priest. He was about Doc's height, a fedora on his head, his clothes black except his white collar.

"'ello, miss," he greeted, an Irish lilt in his tone.

"Hello," I replied. I glanced over my shoulder at Doc as he shut the door and locked it behind him, pocketing the key. "What's going on?" I asked, looking between the two elderly men.

Doc disappeared into a back room, leaving me alone with the stranger. The priest crossed to me and took my hands. I looked up at him and met eyes that were a familiar blue. "'m 'ere ta 'elp ye my dear," he told me quietly.

I slowly nodded. "Okay... help me what?"

He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a manila envelope. He pressed it into my hand. "Ye will know whe' et's time ta use all o' dis, alrigh'?"

I swallowed. "Okay..."

"Et 'as everyting ye wi' nee' fer ye an' yer frien' an' th' boy. Jus' wai' an' ye' will know."

I looked up at him. "Who are you?" I asked quietly.

He smiled and laid his hand on my cheek. "'m jus' a frien' dat 'appens ta know ye nee' some 'elp. Jus' trus' me, alrigh'?"

"I'm trying but... I don't even know you..."

He gave me a smile. "Jus' trus', lass."

* * *

"So, you're saying some random old guy gave you all of this?" Ava asked, sitting across from me at my kitchen table the next afternoon, Aiden napping on the couch. In the center of the table were passports and travel plans.

I shrugged, pulling my knee to my chin. "Yeah... it was really weird. He told me to just trust him and I'd know when it was time."

She looked up at me. "And you do?"

I met her gaze. "He had their eyes, Ava."

She froze. "What?"

I sighed. "No one else has eyes like Conn and Murph. And he did. So I knew I had to be able to trust him."

She chewed her lower lip thoughfully. "So... what? You think they sent him?"

"That I don't know. But eventually I will..."

Ava furrowed her brow. "Have you heard anything from Connor?"

I shook my head. "Nothing since the phone call... Murph? I know you two like to make secret phone calls every now and then..."

She gave me a scowl. "Uncalled for. And no... Duffy did say they were wounded, didn't he?"

I swallowed and gave a quick nod. "He mentioned something like that."

We sat in tense silence, our fingers drumming on the table as we each were lost in thought.

"So..." Ava breathed after a moment. "When do you think the time time will come to use these?"

"He said I'd know.." I let out a deep sigh. "I hope it's a pretty obvious tell. I've never been good at guessing."

* * *

The phone rang three weeks later in the middle of the night. I blindly felt on my bedside table, my fingers managing to wrap around the phone and pulled it to my ear. "Hello?" I muttered, my voice harsh with sleep.

"_Kher?_"

My eyes shot open and I bolted to a sitting position as my heart rate jumped. "Conn?" I breathed.

He chuckled. "_Aye. Ye ge' me an' Murph's gift?_"

I swallowed. "The papers?"

"_Aye... from me Uncle Sibeal._"

I nodded even though he couldn't see me. "Yes, I got them. They're in a safe place until I need them..." I took a deep breath. "Do I?"

Connor paused. "_Ye an' Ava 'ave a choice ta make..._"

"What's that?" I murmured.

He sighed on the other end of the phone. "_Murph an' me... we can' come ba' ta Boston... et's too 'ot fer us dere..."_

I swallowed, taking a shaky breath. "Okay..."

"_But... I mean' et whe' I sai' we were done. I ca' 'splain mo' lat', bu' we 'ung u' da Saints bel' ef ye will._"

"So, what are you telling me?" I asked, staring across the room.

He chuckled. "_Ye 'ave ta choose... an' I'll und'stan' th' choice ye ma', no matt' which et es._"

"What choice do I have, Conn? Stop beating around the bush."

"_Ye eith' ferge' me... stay en Boston an' lea' a li' dow' a diff'ren' path an' we're jus' a mem'ry dat ye ca' tink 'bout from time ta time..."_

I felt tears spring to my eyes and a flash of pain in my chest. "Or...?"

"_Ye 'op o' de nex' boa' an' ye star' o'er wi' me somewhere new..._"

I swallowed as he trailed off, his breathing heavy on the other end of the phone. My fingers tightened on the plastic and we sat listening to each breathe for a heavy minute.

"_So..._" Connor finally breathed on the other end. "_Es dis 'ello or goo'bye?_"

* * *

**AN2:**

****Lucy: "Ye've go' ta fuckin' believe!" Haha, forklift, so amazing. I need to watch the movies, it's been awhile. Which is weird since I've been so wrapped up in them considering the stories. Hmmm... I'm glad the chapter worked for you. It was just so sad. I did want to have a bit of Murph/Kher time. I really like their relationship. Some of my favorite scenes in the two stories have been those two. And I'll be honest, I can't wait to see how I end either, haha. Love ya girl!

Anonnie: Hate when I get dust in my eye. ;-) It was a pretty big scene. I think it left me mentally exhausted for a bit and wondering how I was going to follow up. I really wanted to do the goodbye justice. And according to you, it went well, so yessssssss! I didn't want to make ConKher too sappy or anything, but... ::sigh:: it was their big goodbye! Bah! We shall see where we go from here. Like I said, if I do decide to do a trilogy, there will be a bit of a rest. Not a BDS-BDS2 10 year rest or anything, but yeah, haha. I need to wrap up my one shot (which... SPOILER ALERT... will be of the smutty nature... I need to practice) and then I have a lot of ideas bouncing around that are The Walking Dead related. So, I need to visit those muses and then maybe come back to this. Or just see where I go. I'm really glad you like my writing style and you stick around. I always love your reviews, they make me smile! Lots of love and great big huggies back to you!


	24. All This Time

**Author's Note:** Hello, hello! Another chapter! Didn't want to leave you hanging too long. I'm glad the last chapter seemed to work for you guys. It made me feel a lot better about it. :) This one didn't frustrate me nearly as much. Granted, I probably could have fleshed it out a little bit more, but I guess I just really wanted the MacManuses back in the picture. :) Anyways... thank you as always to all those that take the time to read/review/favorite/alert. Seriously, the consistent numbers I get in the stats makes me think that a lot of you are coming back and sticking with me and that just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. And the fact that this story is at 219 reviews? That just... it seriously BLOWS. ME. AWAY. Thank you thank you thank you. And special thanks goes out to... **iforgiveyou** (mostly because you call me names and I like it)**, AislingIsobel** (I love, love, love you!)**, SilverMoonlit, Valerie E. Mackin, "Alessandra", "Anonnie", coffee-ink-fire, SaraLostInes, PiercedHeart114**... seriously, you all seem to consistently review and I just... I really have no words for how amazing that is.

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. All This Time is OneRepublic. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 24 (All This Time):**

"_All this time we were waiting for each other... all this time I was waiting for you... got all this love, can't waste it on another... so I'm straight in a straight line, running back to you..._

The air was cooler than I expected, making me wish I'd brought a coat. I tightened my thin black cardigan around my shoulders, looking over the water, the reflection of the moon shimmering on the surface.

"So what do you think it will be like?"

I jumped slightly and glanced over at Ava. "What?"

She shoved her hands in her pockets, gazing over the water. "What do you think we're gonna find over there?"

I shrugged. "Don't know. I honestly don't know what to expect."

She sighed and glanced down the dock at Aiden where he was sitting with Detective Duffy, playing a game of 'Rock-Paper-Scissors'. "Are we doing the right thing? Better yet, am _I_ doing the right thing?"

I arched an eyebrow. "You're having doubts?"

She sighed. "I just... I mean for Aiden… if it was just you and me, it would be different. I wouldn't think twice. Hell, I'd probably be there already. But I'm forcing Aiden to start his whole life over so I can be with Murphy. I'm forcing him into what could possibly be a dangerous situation." She looked up at me, her eyes pleading with me. "Is that selfish? Does it make me a bad mother?"

I cocked my head to the side. "You're doing everything you can to keep your family together. If it _is_ selfish, I think it's the best kind of selfish. And no one would ever accuse you of being a bad mother, least of all me."

She nodded slowly. "You're right. Guess it's just nerves talking."

"And isn't Aiden excited to go?" I asked, watching as the cargo ship slowly approached the docks.

"I don't think he realizes we aren't coming back," she replied.

I pulled my hair into a ponytail before stuffing it into a black beanie. "I think Aiden will be happy anywhere, as long as we're all together. And he's young enough that he can handle having to start over like this."

Ava bit her lower lip and shifted her gaze to her feet.

"Mama, Duffy says where we're going we'll see leprechauns!" Aiden exclaimed running and jumping in excitement, breaking the tension.

Ava glanced up and gave Duffy a look. He shrugged. "We were just talking and I _might_ have mentioned leprechauns."

She rolled her eyes and looked back down at her son. "Aiden, just remember that leprechauns can be really shy, so you might have a really hard time finding one."

His expression turned serious. "But, aren't dad and Uncle Conn leprechauns? That's what Duffy said. And they aren't shy."

I snorted and covered my mouth as Duffy coughed to smother his own laughter, his green eyes sparkling with amusement. Ava shut her eyes and grit her teeth. "Oh, Brian, I am going to miss you."

Duffy gave her a grin before moving to stand beside me, his hands stuffed in his pockets. "You ready for this?" he asked quietly as Ava quietly talked with Aiden, preparing him for our journey.

I gave him a smile over my shoulder. "I never had a choice. It was always going to be this way. I shouldn't have fought it for so long."

Duffy sighed and bounced on the balls of his feet. "You love him, don't you?"

I looked down at my feet. "Honestly? I think I loved him before I even met him."

"And I guess love means sometimes you have to make the difficult choices…"

I sighed and tightened my arms around my torso. "I guess so."

He looked over at me with a frown. "Can I tell you something?"

"Can I stop you?" I retorted.

"I hate that you're doing this," he murmured.

I arched an eyebrow. "Better be careful, Brian. I might start to think you care or something."

He rolled his eyes at me. "Of course I do. Spent enough time with you over the past few years. Hard to not care about you, at least a little." He gave me a smile. "You have a way of getting under people's skin."

I chuckled. "That a bad thing?"

"Only sometimes."

I gave him a smile. "I'll be fine. You and I both know that they wouldn't have us do this if they weren't convinced we'd be safe."

Duffy looked unconvinced. "If you do this... you can't come back... you know that, right?"

I nodded. "I do... I know what I'm choosing." I looked over at him and shrugged, stuffing my hands in my pockets. "Brian, I tried to live without him once. We all saw where it managed to get me. I _have_ to go. If I don't, I'll spend the rest of my life wishing I had."

Duffy sighed and gazed over the water. "Can't believe I won't see you after this." He shook his head and chuckled. "I'm gonna miss you kid."

I bit my lower lip and blinked back the tears. "I already miss you, Duff." We glanced down the pier as the ship docked and men immediately unloading cargo.

Duffy let out a sigh. "I guess this is goodbye then."

Ava stepped forward and hugged him quickly. "Take care of yourself, Duff," she told him before taking a step back.

"You too, Ava."

Aiden grinned up at him. "If I see any leprechauns, I'll totally take a picture."

Duffy chuckled and ruffled the boy's hair. "You better. Been awhile since I've seen one. Besides your father and uncle, of course." He gave the boy a wink and a smile

Aiden nodded before taking his mother's hand and disappearing into the shadows, leaving me alone with the detective.

I took a deep breath and took a step forward. I opened my arms. "Think I could get a hug?"

"I guess I can do that." He gently pulled me to him, one hand flat on my back, the other cradling my head to his chest. I wrapped my arms tightly around his waist, his heartbeat in my ear, the scent of his cologne filling my nostrils. "It was a pleasure working with you and taking care of you," he murmured into my hair.

I bit my lower lip and nodded. "Even if I was a pain in the ass most of the time?"

He chuckled as he let me go. "Especially then. You always managed to keep me on my toes." He kissed me gently on the forehead before taking a step back, stuffing his hands back in his pockets. "Take care of yourself, Kher."

I nodded and kissed him on the cheek. "You too, Bri," I told him softly. "Who knows? Maybe we'll see each other again someday."

He shrugged. "Guess you never know what the future holds," he replied.

I gave him a smile and a wave before ducking into the shadows.

* * *

"Stop fidgeting."

Aiden and I both looked at Ava, unsure who she was speaking to.

She rolled her eyes. "I mostly meant Kher."

The three of us stood under the awning over the closed bakery, waiting, trying to avoid the heavy downpour that had started the minute we were off the ship, quickly soaking us to the bone. The trip had taken three long days. Once we docked, we had snuck off the boat just as easily as we had snuck on, each of us fighting exhaustion, only the thought of what waited for us pushing us along. Aiden was the biggest surprise. Not even 9, he managed to stay quiet, few complaints escaped his mouth even though this was the hardest thing any of us had ever done.

I smiled down at my nephew and ruffled his hair gently. He looked up at me, his eyes wide. "What was that for, Aunt Kher?"

"I'm just proud of you, bubba," I replied, bending down and kissing him on the head. I stood up straight and stifled a yawn, looking into the sheets of rain.

"You think someone's coming?" Ava asked quietly.

I glanced at her. "The papers said if we were at this address by 3:00am today we'd have a ride… I'm trusting that."

She sighed. "I just want to stop running," she murmured. "And I would literally _kill_ for a shower."

I reached over and squeezed her shoulder. "You and me both. I feel absolutely disgusting."

Suddenly, headlights cut through the rain, blinding each of us for a moment. A car pulled up to the curb with a splash as it screeched to a stop. The window rolled down slowly and a pale face with a flash of black hair appeared, sunglasses over their eyes even in the dead of night.

"Y'all need a ride or just enjoyin' the weather?"

My mouth dropped when I recognized Eunice Bloom's voice. "What the…"

She lowered the glasses, her eyes looking over each of us. "Y'all just gonna stand in the rain or are ya gonna git in?" she asked, her mouth quirking into a grin.

Ava and I exchanged a look before she and Aiden jumped in the back and I slipped into the passenger seat, slamming the door quickly.

"That's what I thought," Eunice said smugly, shoving her glasses back up her nose. She slipped the vehicle into drive and darted down the street. She reached over and turned up the heat before glancing over at me. "Good to see y'all again. Didn't know if I would."

"Heard you were found out," I replied, biting back a yawn.

She grinned at me. "And I heard you gave Kunty a bit of a hard time. Knew I liked ya just a bit."

"I only gave him back what he decided to dish out. He's a bit of an asshat," I told her. "Makes _you_ seem easy to deal with."

She threw back her head and laughed, speeding along the road easily. "That's practically a glowing recommendation comin' from you, darlin'."

I gave her a smile and glanced in the back seat. Aiden was fast asleep, curled up against his mother. Ava was looking out the window, watching the darkness pass by wordlessly. I turned back to look at Eunice. "Where are we going?"

She shook her head. "That's not really important. Just enjoy the journey. You'll know when we get there."

I rolled my eyes. "How'd you get roped into pickup anyway? Manage to draw the short straw?"

She shrugged. "Just lucky, I guess. Why? Aintcha happy ta see me?"

"I just think it's interesting that you're here... I mean, I get that you had to leave town, but you just happen to be where the boys are? How does that work?"

Eunice bit her lower lip, flicking the turn signal to go left before tightening her fingers on the steering wheel.

I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest, leveling the Southern agent with a glare. "You wanna start talking or should I come to my own conclusions?"

She glanced at me and winced. "Remind me not to ever actually git on ya bad side," she muttered. "Don't think it would go well for me."

"Or just work on your tell," I offered. "Start talking."

She sighed flicking on her brights as we sped down the road, smoothly taking each curve. "Look… the issue here is… there was a plan… and it got fucked to shit, if I can say so bluntly." She glanced in the rearview mirror making sure Aiden was still asleep. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Ava turn her head towards the front, listening to the conversation.

"A plan? What does that mean?" I asked.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a stick of gum, shoving it in her mouth and chewing it before answering. "Paul Smecker had intended-"

"Paul Smecker? As in Special Agent Paul Smecker?" Ava interjected from the backseat in disbelief, her eyes darting between us.

"The very same," Eunice replied smoothly, moving her hand through her choppy ebony locks.

"Isn't he dead?" I asked, a hint of skepticism in my voice.

"Obviously not if I'm talking about him now. Now can I finish?" she asked, giving me a look of slight exasperation. I lifted my hands in surrender and gestured for her to continue. "He's set up an entire network for your fellas to continue their little 'mission'... entirely with fundin', networks... pretty much everything he needs for Connor and Murphy to take their calling to wherever things need to be done. After shit went down with me, he brought me into the plan. We worked quickly and managed to git in touch with our contacts... we sent very specific men to arrest them after the showdown with Louie... then had them 'disappear'. But once we got them where we needed and explained our plan, your boys..." Eunice sighed as she brought the car to a gradual stop and shifted it into park. "They told Smecker and me that while they appreciated and understood our efforts... they weren't doing this anymore. That they just... couldn't. Needless to say, Smecker was not impressed or pleased after everything he'd done to set this up."

I glanced at Ava in the backseat who shrugged. I returned my focus to Eunice and cocked my head to the side. "Okay, so that explains what you're doing here. But I still don't understand why you're picking us up."

Eunice smiled behind her sunglasses and shrugged. "The boys asked me to. And I get their reasons. I don't have an issue with them not wantin' ta be the Saints anymore. We all retire at some point, am I right?"

I glanced down at my hands before lifting my head to peer out the windshield. Through the rain I could make out a dimly lit shack. "So, where are we?"

Eunice gestured towards the makeshift building and hit the horn twice. "Welcome to your new home, ladies. Your boys are right in there. I'd guess up waitin' for ya."

I watched as the door opened and two shadows stepped onto the porch. A lump lodged in my throat as soon as my brain processed that Connor was finally just within reach. I turned to Eunice. "Thank you," I murmured.

She nodded. "My pleasure."

I looked by at Ava. "You ready?"

She gently shook Aiden who looked up at her with wide sleepy eyes. "We're here, baby," she told him quietly.

I turned back towards the front of the car and took a deep breath. I reached over and pushed open the door, unfolding myself from the car. I gasped as I was immediately drenched, slamming the car door behind me before I started to run, my heart slamming against my ribcage. I saw Connor move from the doorway and with a slight limp made his way off the porch and into the yard coming towards me through the dark. I moved faster than I ever had, my vision zeroed in on my MacManus. When I reached him, I leapt into his arms, wrapping myself around him like I'd never let go, tears streaming down my face, mixing with the rain as I burrowed my face into his neck, breathing in his scent.

"Though' ye woul' ne'er ge' 'ere," Connor breathed in my ear, holding me tightly to his chest.

I pulled my head back, meeting his gaze and giving him a smile. "Wild horses couldn't keep me from you," I replied, borrowing his own line. "And did you honestly think I'd let you go again?"

He grinned and slid his hand to the back of my head, pulling off my soaked beanie and tossing it to the ground, my hair tumbling down my back in wet waves before he crashed his lips against mine, the familiar taste of nicotine and whiskey exploding on my tongue.

* * *

**AN2:**

Alessandra: I did miss you, but it's fine! Life happens! I hope everything is okay and you've managed to get some sleep! I've been keeping you and your family in my prayers! But I'm glad the story direction worked for you! I hope you continue to be pleased with it! I know that you've been wanting them to all go to Ireland since the first story, haha. And yes, I know, they need Irish babies. We'll just have to seeeeee! And yeah, he is kind of an asshole. A lot of assholes in this story, haha. You can def beat him up. I'm so, so glad you love these stories so much! It excites me to no end that people have connected with the stories and the characters the way they have! I love you bunches and let me know if you need anything! :)

Anonnie: Obvs she needs to pick hello. Yeah, I figured everyone assumed the direction I was gonna go and I really wanted to surprise the reader. I don't like being predictable. :) And I figured, Sibeal was the one that got Eunice's stuff together... why not the girls and Aiden? I hope your pleased with the path. Don't be depressed! I'm hoping I have enough inspiration/material to take this to a nice even 30 chapters, but I don't know, we'll see. I don't know if I can promise every other day, but I really want to keep writing and such, so hopefully I have enough ideas bouncing around in my brain to post a decent amount of stuff. And I get a month leave before I have to start writing/posting a part three? I'll have to keep that in mind. ;-) So lenient! Haha. I do plan to do the smutty one shot. As soon as A&W is done, that's my next plan. I'm glad you're into a Walking Dead story. :) I hope this update made you smile and big huggies back to you! :)


	25. Chasing Cars

**Author's Note:** Are you guys mad at me? I'm pretty much going against my promise of not vanishing. Sighhhh. Anyway. Hi! Back! A lot of people thought that the last chapter was the end. And maybe it should've been... but I have one more trick up my sleeve. So, not finished yet. I'm hoping I have enough material to make it to chapter 30. That's my goal. But I also don't want to drag this out when I need to just end it. So, we shall see. I will tell you when it's over though. No need for guessing. Moving on... thank you for all that have read/reviewed/alerted/favorited. I'm so glad that people have connected with these characters and this story. Not only that, I've made some awesome friends because of it. So thank you! Biggest thanks goes to... **Valerie E. Mackin, SilverMoonlit, coffee-ink-fire, "Anonnie", PiercedHeart114, AislingIsobel **(you are seriously a Godsend and such a huge help to me and I adore you!)**, "Lucy", iforgiveyou, "Rhanon Brodie"**... I love you guys. I know it seems like I just throw that phrase around sometimes, but each of you have been such a huge factor in me posting and continuing with this story. I wish I could do more to thank you, honestly.

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Chasing Cars is Snow Patrol. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 25 (Chasing Cars):**

"_If I lay here… if I just lay here… would you lie with me and just forget the world?... All that I am… all that I ever was… is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see…"_

I slowly drifted into consciousness, the sound of pots and pans banging in the kitchen floating into my ears and I had the prickly feeling that I was being watched. I opened my eyes, the lids still feeling heavy and squinted, taking note of Connor sitting in the bed beside me. "You know, it's kinda creepy to watch someone when they're asleep," I croaked, my throat dry.

"Coul'n 'elp meself. 'aven' seen ye en 'while, lass," he replied, his voice soft. "An' ye looked so peaceful li'."

I sighed and rolled to my back, staring up at him. "It wasn't a dream?" I murmured softly.

He shook his head and gave me a smile. "No, lass. No' a drea'."

I stretched and groaned quietly. "How long was I out?"

"Bou' eightee' hours o' so. Must 'ave bee' qui' a trip fer ye," he replied, grabbing my hand and running his thumb over my knuckles.

"I can't say I'm used to fleeing the country," I retorted. "Not exactly one of my usual past times."

He chuckled and laced his fingers through mine. "Aye, guess ye 'ave a poin' dere."

I pulled myself into a sitting positing and turned towards him, crossing my legs under me. "You need to tell me what happened," I urged.

Connor raised an eyebrow. "Do I now?" he replied, cocking his head to side.

I nodded. "Yup. Go."

"Ye sure ye don' wan' ta shower? O' brush yer teeth?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

"Ye know I tink yer always beautiful, lass, bu' I don' tink ye will be 'appy a' th' momen'," he told me gently.

I rose up to my knees to look in the mirror across the room, smoothing the woolen sweater I was wearing over my thighs. "Son of a..." I breathed, my eyes wide at my reflection. My skin was pale and almost papery, black tracks of dried mascara standing out on my cheeks. The whites of my eyes were bloodshot and rimmed in red. My hair was sticking in every direction in clumps, taking on the appearance of overly dried straw. Parts of my scalp were visible from how it had dried after the rain and my sleep. "I look absolutely disgusting," I groaned, collapsing against the pillow and pulling the sheet over my head.

I heard Connor chuckle as he gently pulled the sheet down. "Ye don' loo' dat ba'."

I scowled. "Where can I take a shower?"

He grimaced and looked at me apologetically. "'bout dat…"

I narrowed my eyes. "What does that mean?"

He handed me a toothbrush. "'ow bou' ye brush yer teeth an' den I'll show ye?"

I sighed and took the proffered item, sitting up. "Why do I get the feeling that I'm not going to like this?"

* * *

I gaped at the shower head. "I have to shower in a _barn_?" I asked.

"Et's no' dat ba'," he reasoned, standing beside me.

I gave him a look. "Conn, I don't know if you noticed, but I'm not what you would call 'outdoorsy'."

He shrugged. "Ye ge' used ta et."

I heaved a giant sigh and took a seat on a bale of hay, wincing as it scratched against my bare legs. Connor took a seat next to me and gently tried to work his fingers through an especially stubborn knot in my hair. "'avin' secon' thoughts?" he asked, his voice soft as though he was afraid of my answer.

I met his gaze. "About what?"

He waved his hand around the dimly lit structure. "All o' dis. Runnin' 'way… me."

I gave him a look of surprise. "Connor, where is this coming from?"

He pulled his hand back, resting his elbows on his knees and rubbing his hands over his face, folding them at his mouth and staring across the barn. "I jus' don' wan' ye ta regret dis choice… dat's all."

I carefully reached over and grabbed his hand, moving closer to him. "Hey," I murmured.

He glanced over at me.

"I'm not saying I won't complain… that's part of my charm," I told him with a smile. He chuckled but let me continue. "But I will never ever regret any choice that means I get to be with you, okay?" I pressed my lips to his tattooed knuckle, our eyes still locked. "I love you and I will always choose you." I contemplated for a moment. "Unless the other choice is cake. Then I may have to think about it."

Connor stared at me for a moment before he burst out laughing. "'opefully ye ne'er 'ave ta make dat choice den. I woul' lose."

I grinned and moved onto his lap, draping my arms over his shoulders. "Seriously, though… I want to be here. I want to be with you. I can deal with the rest if you're here."

Connor nodded, his hands moving to rest on my cheeks. "I love ye. Ye know dat, righ'?"

"You better," I replied, threading my fingers through his hair.

He pulled my mouth to his and kissed me, his lips covering mine, his tongue immediately exploring. I pressed myself closer to him, letting out a hiss as I felt the rough denim bulge press against me between my legs.

"Ye alrigh'?" he growled against my lips.

"Perfect," I whispered, gently pulling his bottom lip with my teeth. "But don't think this is going to get you out of talking to me," I muttered as his hands moved down my sides.

"Wouldn' drea' o' et," he replied, moving his lips along my jaw, making me shudder. "Shower firs', den breakfas', den talk." His hands moved under the sweater and pulled it over my head, tossing it to the side, leaving me in a pair of white cotton underwear.

I shivered as his stubble scratched against my shoulder, my fingers tightening in his hair. "You don't trust me to shower alone?" I asked as he stood, moving us both to our feet and backing me towards the shower.

He grinned down at me, his pupils blown as he ripped his own sweater over his head and my hands dropped to his belt. "Jus' though' I coul' len' ye a 'and o' two," he replied as his jeans hit the ground and he kicked them to the side. I shoved his boxers to the floor as he did the same with my underwear before reaching behind me and turning on the water.

My eyes widened and let out a shriek as an icy spray ran over us. "Holy fucking shit that's cold!" I gasped.

"I'll kee' ye war'," he promised pulling me to him and covering my mouth with his.

* * *

I wrinkled my nose. "Murphy… what did you do?"

"I coo'ed!" he exclaimed proudly.

I looked down at my plate. The eggs quivered, the whites snotty and translucent. Two sticks of bacon sat to the side, still gummy but managing to be charred and black on the ends. The toast was completely black on one side, the other barely toasted. "You call this breakfast?"

Connor coughed into his hand and took his own plate. "Murph… dese eggs are raw."

Murphy peered down at the plate. "No dey are no'."

I bit my lower lip and sat at the table. "Murphy, I shouldn't be able to see the plate through the egg."

He scowled. "Ungra'ful," he muttered. "Bo' o' ye."

Connor poked at the food with his fork. "Kher, loo'. Et wiggles!"

I rolled my eyes and winced when I looked past his shoulder and saw the look Murphy was giving him, a fork gripped in his hand. "Um, Conn, I'd shut up if I were you," I warned.

He gave me a look of confusion. "Wha-" He was cut off as Murphy leaped at him, tackling him. I shrieked and jumped away from the table as they started rolling around on the floor, snarling at each other in different languages. I managed to pick out a few Russian words from Connor, while Murphy seemed to favor German at the moment. My eyes widened as they slammed into the table, making it topple to the side, food splattering all over the floor and on top of them. I choked back laughter at the yolk that stood out against Murphy's dark hair and butter smeared over Connor's face.

"You two need to calm the fuck down!"

We all froze and looked up to see Ava standing in the other doorway of the kitchen, an irate expression over her features. Her appearance bore a strong resemblance to how I had looked less than an hour before.

Murphy pulled himself to his feet and walked over, egg dripping down his face. "Yer 'wake," he commented.

She glared up at him, crossing her arms over her chest. "Yes. Thank you _so_ much for that," she snarled, shoving him in the shoulder.

He winced. "Ow," he muttered. "Ye 'ave bee' sleepin' 'while," he told her quietly.

She scowled at him. "I'm sorry, it's not like your son and I didn't just travel across the world to be with you or anything," she snapped, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

I glanced up at Connor. "She's just getting started," I muttered.

"Shoul' we..." he trailed off, gesturing towards our bedroom.

I nodded furiously. "Grab the loaf of bread and meet me in the room."

* * *

"So... where's Romeo?" I asked quietly before nibbling on a piece of bread as Connor used an old towel to wipe the butter off of his face.

He sighed and sat down on the bed beside me, his back against the headboard. "Righ' no' 'e's recoverin'. Bu' when 'e's bett', I guess 'e es goin' ta take o'er."

I raised an eyebrow, pulling off a piece of crust and holding it out to him. "You mean... he's going to continue doing this?"

Connor nodded, taking the bread and shoving it in his mouth. "Aye. 'e likes et. Doesn' wan' ta sto'."

I chewed my lower lip thoughtfully. "What happened anyway?" I asked quietly, ripping the bread into pieces and popping them in my mouth.

He sighed and lay down on his back, staring at the ceiling. "Well... we go' dere an' Da..." He trailed off, his voice thick. I glanced over and saw the light catch a tear in the corner of his eye. I finished my last piece of bread and laid down beside him, resting my head on his shoulder, his arm automatically pulling me closer.

"Conn, if you can't talk about it-"

He shook his head, cutting me off. "No, ye shoul' know wha' 'appened ta Da." He took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes with his free hand. "Da wen' en ta talk ta Louie. Murph, Rome an' me... we snu' en an' too' our places, jus' waitin'. Whe' we 'eard Da star' shootin' dat wa' our signal." He sighed, his eyes focused on the ceiling again, seemingly lost in the memory. "Et all 'appened so fas'. Nex' ting I knew, Murph wa' callin' fer me an' Da 'ad bee' sho'." He bit his lower lip and took a deep, shaky breath. "We 'ad all bee' sho'. Bu' I knew... dere wa' no way Da wa' goin' ta make et. 'ell, I though' Romeo wa' dea' as well."

He paused, trying to hold his emotions at bay. I bit my own lower lip and blinked rapidly trying to hold back my own tears as I pictured what he was describing. "He 'ad me an' Murph take 'im ta Louie… an' 'e sho' 'im. An' den 'e wa' jus'… gone."

I took a deep breath. "I'm sorry…"

Connor squeezed his eyes shut, his breathing ragged. "I didn' tink et woul' 'urt dis mu'. We didn' tink we woul' all make et ou'… et's a wonder Da wa' th' only one dat didn'."

"Connor," I murmured. "He did what he could. All he wanted was to keep you and Murphy safe. I think he knew this was it for him."

He nodded, his eyes still shut. "I know…"

"Then what?" I asked quietly, even though I wasn't sure I wanted to know.

"We were checkin' o' Rome an' sendin' th' souls ta Go' whe' we hear' th' police pull u'. Dat wa' whe' we called ye an' Ava. Didn' wan' ye ta worry. Wen' ou'side an' were 'rested. Den we ended u' findin' et wa' all goin' ta wor' ou' whe' we saw Smecker."

We laid there in silence for a few moments, just holding each other.

"How badly were you hurt?" I finally asked, breaking the quiet. "I saw you limping when we got here."

He glanced down at me and I reached up, catching the tears on his cheeks with my thumb. "Ye noticed dat, didya?"

"I did."

Connor sighed and laid his hand on his right thigh. "Dey go' me en me leg." He let out a chuckle. "Et wa' close ta where Da go' me all dose years 'go."

I sat up. "Can I see? Make sure you're okay?"

Connor raised an eyebrow. "Smecker an' Bloo' too' care o' et."

"Humor me?"

He sighed and undid his belt. I gently pulled down his jeans tossing them over the side of the bed. A stark white bandage peeked out from the leg of his boxers. "I didn't even notice the bandage before," I muttered, gently pushing his boxers out of the way and peeling back the tape.

"Ye were a bi' distracted, I tink," Connor replied.

I glanced up at him and made a face, making him chuckle. I turned my attention back to his leg and pulled back the bandage. The bullet wound was still an angry pink, the skin puckered, but seemed to be clean and healing well. "No irons this time?" I asked, sealing the bandage into place.

He shook his head. "No, girl. Dey 'ad udder pieces. Sti' 'urt dough."

I laid back down beside him, snuggling to his side. "So you and Murphy really told Smecker that you weren't doing this anymore?"

"Aye," he replied, his fingers gently tracing patterns on my back. "I tol' ye we were do'. Wha' kin' o' ma' woul' I be ef I 'ad lied 'bout dat?"

I sighed. "Are you sure that's what you want?" I asked quietly, my eyes on his rosary.

He moved his hand and lifted my chin, bringing my eyes to meet his. "Dere wa' a time dat Murph an' I 'ad ta do wha' we di'. An' I know dat dere are sti' evil men en da worl'. Bu' et's no' jus' me brudder an' me an'mo'. We 'ave udder responsibilities no'."

I bit my lower lip. "I just don't want you to regret-"

He cut me off, his finger on my lips. "Sto' dat, no'. Ye tol' me dat ye will always choose me, righ'? Wha' makes ye tink I won' do th' same wi' ye? I ma' th' udder choice once an' dat jus' brough' me righ' ba' where et all star'ed." He smirked. "I 'parently can' ge' ri' o' ye."

I took his hand pulling it from my mouth. "If you wanted to get rid of me, you missed your chance because now you're stuck with me."

He grinned. "Guess me plan worked ou' den," he replied before pressing his mouth to mine.

* * *

**AN2:**

Anonnie: I would have been disappointed if you didn't sing it because I sang it as I read it. I didn't want to keep them apart for too long. I mean, in story time it was probably close to a month, but yeah... the whole point is them together... right? And it is sad that they left everything. Who knows what will happen in the future...? And you stay dropping hints! Haha. I'm really going to try for 30. Really, really try. I'm pretty confident that I can def do another 2 chapters with what's in my little brain. And I know it's going to be sad when it's over but at the same time I don't want to beat a dead horse if you will. I promise you I will keep writing! I'm sorry it's taking me a little longer these past few chapters. It's my goal to make sure I post each chapter well within a week. So far I've stuck with that. I hate when author's have massive gaps between chapters and I don't want to be that. You are so sweet. I'm so glad that you have loved these stories and my writing as much as you have. You have been a huge inspiration and motivator and I cannot thank you enough for your kind words and support. :) Til next time...

Lucy: 2 reviews to address with you! Haha. I was worried not hearing from you! But I'm glad everything's okay! I was hoping you didn't give up on me! :) And I love you! I'm so glad you liked the chapter. And you are too sweet with all your compliments! I'm not worthy! As for chap 24... Bahahaha! I made you cry!? Really!? Awe! But YES! :) And your story with you and your mom... friggin' hilarious. Actually reminds me of my relationship with my own mother. Which I love. :) And we all need an Irish guy like that. Mmmmm... PS... you need to get your phone fixed! I'm having withdrawals! :) I'm so glad that you had a reaction to the story though. I don't like people to cry, but I do like that you seem to have a connection with the story and the characters. That's all I want!

Rhanon Brodie: I'm thrilled you liked the last scene. I had actually really wanted them to have a moment in the rain for awhile, but I needed it to work and it finally felt right. I was a little worried it much be cheesy or cliche but I wanted it and it worked, so I am happy. And I am a master at criticizing my own work (as proven by practically all my author's notes). I didn't want to send the boys to prison... (1) because everyone expected me to and (2) I had no clue what I would do to get them out. So... overseas they go! I'm glad you like it and continue to enjoy because seriously... I think you are practically a master so I'm flattered that you enjoy what I do because I'm obsessed with your stories. Thank you thank you thank you! And I can't wait for your next chapter!


	26. Don't Confess

**Author's Note:** Hello my shiny happy people! Another chapter for you all! It's a fairly lengthy one. I hope you like it. I'm gonna be honest. I know nothing about sheep herding or whatever. I also know nothing about taking care of horses. My "research" consists of google. So, if things don't make sense, I apologize. I feel like there's a lot happening in this chapter but at the same time not much is happening... I realize that doesn't make sense. Whatever, you didn't come here for my babbling so moving on... Thank you each and every reader/reviewer/alerter/favoriter. You all are the reason I keep writing. I hope you are all still enjoying the story. Special thanks and giant hugs and kisses and love to... **coffee-ink-fire, SilverMoonlit, PiercedHeart114, "Anonnie", iforgiveyou, AislingIsobel** (you have been and continue to be so awesome and such a motivator!),** Valerie E. Mackin**... best people EVER! So much love and hugs and kisses and chocolate and marshmallows and joy to each and everyone of you.

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Don't Confess is Tegan & Sara. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Chapter 26 (Don't Confess):**

"_Don't think I'll confess... why would I confess, that I... don't think I'll deny... why would I deny, that I...?"_

"I heard you throwing up this morning."

I glanced up from my magazine. "I'm sorry?"

Ava gave me a look and sat down at the kitchen table, a cutting board and knife in front of her and a bowl to the side. "I got out of bed after the boys left and I heard you."

I shrugged and flipped back to the article I was reading. "Yeah, well, I didn't really feel well." I looked up after several moments of silence to see Ava staring at me. "What!?"

She shook her head and pulled a carrot from the bowl. "Kherington. I'm not deaf or dumb," she told me as she began chopping the carrot into pieces. "You've been throwing up every morning for the past 10 days. Hell, even Murphy asked me about it."

I sighed and tossed the magazine on the table, standing up and crossing to the fridge. "So I must have a bug. No big deal. It's probably stress or something." I opened the fridge and pulled out a bowl of cucumber slices, setting it on the counter and grabbing a piece.

"When was your last period?"

I sucked in a sharp breath and choked on the cucumber that I had just tossed into my mouth as it got lodged in my throat. I bent over the sink and spat it out, tears streaming down my cheeks. "The fuck Ava!" I rasped as I wiped my mouth on the back of my hand and my cheeks on my sleeve.

She looked at me wide eyed. "That dramatic reaction wasn't necessary."

I gave her a glare and walked over to sit across from her at the kitchen table. "Neither was your absolutely random and maybe even inappropriate question. What the hell is with the acquisition today?"

Ava rolled her eyes and continued chopping. "It's a legitimate question. And a concern."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Just because I've been getting sick doesn't mean anything. Don't try to make this into something it's not."

She raised an eyebrow. "You haven't considered the possibility that you might be-"

I held up my hand, cutting her off. "Do not even say it."

She heaved a sigh. "C'mon, Kher, when was your last period? Do you even know?"

I sighed and rested my chin in my hand. "Let me think."

"I'll wait," she replied, looking back down at the cutting bored.

I chewed my lower lip, staring across the kitchen. When _was_ my last period? I started counting in my head. We had been with the boys for a little over a month. Not one since I got here. I felt my stomach start to tangle in a loose knot. There had been about a month before we came here. Nothing to recall. "Oh God…" I muttered as the knot grew tighter.

Ava glanced up at me. "When?" she asked quietly, setting down the knife.

"The last one I remember is before Connor and Murphy even showed up," I whispered, feeling the color leave my face.

She bit her lower lip. "I figured it had been awhile, but that's even longer than I expected…"

I rubbed my hands over my face. "I finished like two days before they showed."

"Kher, that's like two and a half months ago," she told me.

"You don't think I know that?" I cried, pushing away from the table.

"Why are you so upset? This isn't the worst thing that could happen." Her face fell. "Wait… does this mean it could be… Stefano's?"

I shook my head furiously. "No. No way."

She narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure?"

I gave her a look. "If I am pregnant, it wouldn't be his. I'm 1000% sure about it."

"Did you not sleep with him in that time?" she asked, her tone full of skepticism.

"Not unprotected."

Ava's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "You and Connor didn't…"

I grit my teeth. "It was an emotional time, alright? I wasn't thinking straight."

"Just once?"

I felt my cheeks heat up and I avoided her gaze.

"Kherington!" she gasped in surprise. "You had _unprotected_ sex with Connor and you've missed at least _two _cycles and you've been throwing up every morning for a week and a half and you haven't even _considered_ that you might be knocked up?!"

"Shut up," I hissed, looking around the kitchen. "That's my business. And no, I didn't think about it."

She rolled her eyes and popped a piece of carrot in her mouth. "Fine, whatever." She looked thoughtful as she chewed. "You gonna tell him?" she asked with a swallow.

I scowled, crossing my arms over my chest. "Tell him what? I doubt Conn's interested in my irregular menstrual cycle."

Ava gave me a look. "Kherington, I'm serious."

"Look, if I find out there's something to tell him, I will. Until then, I'm keeping my mouth shut and so are you. Do you forget how he reacted the last time?" I reminded her.

She snorted. "Oh please. First off, his reaction was _nothing_ compared to Murphy's and secondly, he was just a kid then."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh yes, because he is so much more grown and mature now. He put itching powder in Murphy's underwear drawer. For the _second_ time since we got here. _Yesterday_."

Ava snorted. "It works out for me. Forces Murphy to go commando until one of us decides to do laundry. Remind me to thank Conn later."

I grimaced. "Gross. I really don't want to hear about Murphy free ballin'." I shuddered. "Disgusting."

She chuckled before grabbing a piece of raw chicken and chopping it into cubes. "Back to the original subject... I think you should tell him. I honestly think he'll be excited. It will give him a new friend to play with."

I sighed and crossed my arms over my chest. "Okay, let's live in your alternate universe for a minute. Let's say I do tell him that I could possibly be pregnant and we'll even pretend that he's excited about it. What is it's just a coincidence? How do I tell him I'm not?"

Ava let out another snort. "Kher, you have all the symptoms of pregnancy. Believe me, I was there."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. I'm not pregnant, okay? It's probably just stress. A lot has been going on for the past couple months. And there's too many of us in this house anyway. Why would we want to add a baby?" I lifted my wrist to look at my watch. "It's almost 5. They should be coming back with Aiden, shouldn't they?"

Ava nodded as she stood up from the table carrying what she had cut over to the stove. "You should go see if they're on their way back," she told me, throwing her ingredients in a pot. "Oh, and I know. Tell Connor you think you're going to have his baby."

"I hate you. I hate you so much it hurts me."

She grinned over her shoulder. "No you don't. Seriously though, we should try to figure out a way to get a pregnancy test or something. Even though you clearly want to live in the land of denial."

I groaned. "Fine, whatever. Can we not talk about it anymore?" I asked, grabbing my sweater off the back of my chair and pulling it over my shoulders.

Ava sighed and turned back to the stove. "We can put it on pause. Now go away so I can cook. Your lack of skill is affecting me."

"Yes, ma'am," I replied walking out of the kitchen and out the front door. I pulled my sweater tighter as the cool air hit me. I took a deep breath and shivered. Winter was coming. I could smell it in the air. I walked forward and took a seat on the stairs of the porch, staring into the distance. A light fog settled over the grass, making it that I could only see so far across the yard. I rested my knees on my elbows, cradling my chin in my hands. Could I really be pregnant? I bit my lower lip. Would I even want to be pregnant? My brain started racing through possible scenarios. A little girl with Connor's eyes and my hair. A baby boy with my smile and Connor's nose. Aiden holding a baby girl. Murphy tickling a little boy. I couldn't help the smile that spread over my face at the idea of Connor being a father. Seeing him with Aiden, I knew he'd be perfect with one of his own. My smile faltered. Would he even want to _be_ a father? Not only that, did I want to be a mother?

"Aunt Kher!"

I jumped and shook my head to clear it. I looked up to see Aiden waving at me frantically from the horse he was riding with Murphy, Connor trotting beside them. I pasted a grin on my face and stood, skipping towards them. "Well, if it isn't my favorite little man!" I exclaimed, stopping beside them and reaching up to help Aiden down. "How was work my dude?" I gently set him on his feet before squatting to be eye level, the twins bringing the horses to a stop on either side of us.

"it was AWESOME!" Aiden cried, practically buzzing with excitement. "We had to get all the sheep in the fence and dad let me chase them with Gustav!"

"Who's Gustav again?" I asked, cocking my head to the side.

Aiden put his hands on his hips and gave me a look. "Aunt Kher! You don't listen to me! Gustav is the sheepdog that stays with the sheep!"

I nodded and chuckled. "That's right. So your dad and uncle are treating you like a dog, are they?" I looked up at Murphy and Connor and shook my head. "That's just wrong, fellas."

Murphy shrugged. "Et wa' wha' me boy wan'ed ta do."

Connor nodded his agreement. "Wa' 'is idea, lass."

I rolled my eyes and looked back at Aiden. "You must be tired. You were gone all day."

He shook his head furiously. "No! Where's mama!? I have to tell her that tomorrow we get to cut off their wool!"

I chuckled. "I think that's called shearing, little man." I stood up and ruffled his hair. "Your mom's in the kitchen. Maybe you can help her with dinner."

Aiden grinned and took off running towards the house. I shook my head and looked up at the brothers. "He was good?" I asked.

"Aye," Connor replied. "Li' 'e's bee' a' et fer years."

Murphy slid off his horse and held the reins out to me. "Tink ye ca' 'elp Conn pu' Branna an' Daire ta stable?"

I gave him a look but took the reins. "Why do I have to do your dirty work?"

Murphy grinned. "I wan' some time wi' me lady. Es dat so ba'?"

I rolled my eyes. "She's cooking dinner. And your son is in there. What can you possibly do?"

He gave me a wink. "'alf th' fu' es findin' ou'," he replied before making his way to the shack.

I gagged before pulling myself onto Daire and looking over at Connor. "Your brother is disgusting," I told him as the horses started to walk towards the stable.

Connor chuckled. "I tink 'avin' Aiden 'roun' es makin' et 'ard fer 'e an' Ava ta 'ave time ta demselves."

I bit my lower lip. "Oh? What makes you say that?"

Connor shrugged. "Jus' talked ta 'im taday. An' I though' maybe ye an' I coul' spen' some time wi' Aiden. Give dem some 'lone time o' someting."

I raised an eyebrow. "Since when are you so nice?"

He scoffed. "'m always ni'." He pulled on the reins, bringing the horse to a stop. "Whoa, Branna, whoa," he murmured. He slipped off of the horse and led her to her stall, before walking back to me and helping me down. "Ye min' brushin' 'im?" he asked as we walked Daire to his own stall

"Can I have Branna this time?" I pleaded. "Daire doesn't like me to brush him."

Connor rolled his eyes. "Ye ca' bu' I tol' ye, th' fuckin' horse likes ye jus' fi'."

I scowled and snatched a curry comb off of the wall. "He bites me everytime I try to brush his mane."

"Though' ye li' me' bitin' ye," he replied with a grin, snapping his teeth at me playfully.

I gave him a look. "Only if I benefit someway," I retorted. "Daire doesn't really do it for me. And it hurts." I gently ran the comb over Branna's back.

Connor snorted. "Always 'bout ye, girl?" he asked, grabbing a mane brush and running it through Daire's tail.

I grinned over at him and winked. "You haven't figured that out yet?" He replied with a chuckle before focusing on the task at hand. I absently brushed over Branna's coat, running my hand over the path the comb was taking as I watched Connor. I bit my lower lip at how gentle he was with the horse, speaking in hushed French, my mind starting to wander all over again...

"Someting wron', lass?"

I jumped and saw that Connor had stopped combing through the mane, an eyebrow raised. I cleared my throat. "No, I was just thinking."

His hands started moving over the horse again, his focus still on me. "Tinkin' 'bou' wha'?"

I swallowed and replaced the comb, grabbing a dandy brush and continuing to brush Branna down. "Just something Ava said, nothing important."

"Loo'ed li' et migh' be," he urged, grabbing the curry comb.

I shook my head. "Nope."

"Den ye shoul' tell me wha' she sai'," he replied.

I sighed and gave him a look. "Do you tell me everything you and Murphy talk about?"

"Ef et's botherin' me, aye."

I rolled my eyes. "Likely story when you're trying to get something out of me."

"Does et 'ave ta do wi' ye gettin' sick?" he asked.

I froze mid-stroke, staring at Branna's back with wide eyes. I felt Connor move behind me and gently lay his hand over mine, his other hand on the small of my back. "Kher, wha' es et?" he asked gently.

I swallowed and looked up, searching his eyes and biting my lower lip. Maybe Ava was right… maybe I should tell him. "Connor… I-"

"What are you doing?"

Connor let out a frustrated sigh and glanced over his shoulder, taking a step back from me. "Takin' care o' th' 'orses. Wha' are ye doin'?"

Aiden sat on a stool in the corner. "Can I help?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Weren't you supposed to help your mom cook?" I asked, my hand on my hip.

"Dad said to come see if you needed help," he replied, swinging his legs.

I shot Connor a look. "Did he now? And what are he and your mom doing?"

Aiden shrugged. "I dunno. They just told me to come out to the barn."

Connor chuckled. "Tink we may 'ave ta fin' someting else fer supper," he muttered.

I gave a quiet snort and turned to Aiden. "Wanna help me with Branna, bubba? I haven't gotten her tail or her mane yet."

Aiden grinned and jumped to his feet, grabbing the brush. I stiffened slightly when I felt Connor's hand on the small of my back. "We'll talk a bi' mo' late'," he whispered, his lips brushing my ear. He gave me a look before moving back to Daire's stall.

I sighed and looked down at Aiden as he ran the brush through Branna's tail. I grabbed a soft face brush and gently ran it over the horse's muzzle. I met her eyes and could swear she was giving me a look of disappointment.

* * *

I walked and shook my head, watching Connor run towards the house with Aiden on his back. "Conn, I am not giving you a massage or sympathy when you complain about your back!" I called after them.

He gave me a look over his shoulder but kept his pace, Aiden squealing with delight. I chuckled, my arms over my chest, trying to stay warm. I gently laid my hand on my stomach, my ring catching the last rays of the sun. I sighed and shook my head, carefully making my way up the porch stairs. I looked up to see Connor had stopped right outside the kitchen, Aiden on his shoulders.

"What's wrong?" I asked, peering around them. The kitchen was an absolute wreck. The table was overturned, food all over the floor and walls. I snorted back a giggle as I heard a low moan come from the direction of Ava and Murphy's room.

"Was that mama?" Aiden whispered.

Connor opened his mouth to reply.

"Sweet Mary, mudder o' Go'!" Murphy howled, cutting him off.

"Is dad praying?" Aiden asked, his hands holding onto Connor's hair.

I cut my eyes at Connor when he didn't answer to see his body shaking in silent laughter. I shook my head and grabbed Aiden at the waist, lowering him to the floor as Connor collapsed against the wall struggling to breathe through his laughter.

"Bubba, do you wanna play a game? Like a board game or something?"

"OH FUCK MURPHY DO THAT AGAIN!"

Connor fell on his ass, roaring with laughter. I opened my mouth to snap at him but was quickly cut off when I looked at Aiden's shocked and horrified face at his mother's language. I snorted back a bout of my own laughter and took the boy by the wrist. "C'mon, bud, we're going to play a game," I told him, dragging him to my room. I glanced back at Connor where he was still rolling on the floor. "When you're done, you know where to find us," I told him with a withering look.

I shoved Aiden into the room as I heard another moan come from Ava, mixing with a groan from Murphy and shut the door behind me.

"Aunt Kher, are they okay? It sounded like mama was hurt. And she was cursing."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "They're fine. Like you said they're… praying."

He looked at me unconvinced as he pulled himself into the bed. "I don't want dad to hurt mama."

I forced a smile. "Believe me, your dad isn't and would never hurt your mom, okay?"

He nodded slowly. "Okay…" He looked around the room. "What are we playing Aunt Kher?"

I reached under the bed and grabbed a box, pulling it out and throwing it on the bed. "We're playing…" I looked down. "Life."

"I wan' th' gree' car!"

I looked behind me as Connor ducked into the room, shutting the door behind him and his face still flushed.

"How nice of you to join us," I told him dryly.

He grinned. "Dat wa' jus' too goo' ta mi'," he chuckled, flopping down on the bed beside me.

I rolled my eyes and turned to Aiden. "What color do you want?"

"Blue, duh," he replied.

I set the blue, green and yellow cars on the board. "College or career?" I asked, looking between the two of them.

* * *

"I won!" Aiden squealed, throwing his paper money in the box.

Connor scowled. "'ow ca' ye wi' a' li' whe' ye barely lived et, lad?"

I chuckled, leaning back on my hands. "You're just mad because he got your salary card."

"Wha' kin' o' teacher ma' $100,000?" he griped, gathering the cards.

"One that stole your salary," I replied, stacking tiles. I looked at Aiden. "Let this be a lesson to you. You should always go to college. Rockstars fail."

Connor shot me a glare. "Ye los' as well."

I shrugged. "I'm not the one pouting."

"I'm hungry," Aiden said softly.

I glanced over at Connor. "Think they're done?"

He smirked. "Prayin'?"

I bit my lower lip trying not to grin. "I guess we can find out." I looked over at Aiden. "Let's go see your parents, bubba."

The three of us climbed off the bed and walked out of the room, looking around. The house was quiet, nothing coming from Murphy and Ava's room.

"Kher, ye go firs'. Aiden an' I 'ave yer ba'," Connor whispered.

"Yeah Aunt Kher!" Aiden stage whispered in agreement.

"Why do I have to go?" I whined quietly. They both shrugged in response and Connor gently pushed me forward. I let out a sigh and moved towards the kitchen quietly.

"OMIGOD!" I yelped throwing my hands over my face.

Murphy let out an almost girlish shriek and dropped the carton in his hands, milk splashing all over the floor. "Kher! Wha' th' fuck are ye doin' 'ere?"

"Dad! Swear jar!" Aiden reprimanded, coming up behind me.

"Murph, why ye walkin' 'round all naked li' ye are?" Connor asked and I could even hear the smirk in his voice with my eyes covered.

"Murphy, what's taking you-OMIGOD! YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE HERE!"

"Mama! Why are you and dad naked!?" Aiden cried. "Uncle Conn, don't cover my eyes!"

"Et's fer yer ow' goo', lad," he replied, trying to smother his laughter as a door slammed.

"Murphy, you told me they went out!" Ava cried from behind the closed door of their room.

I lowered my hand to see Murphy pulling at the doorknob desperately, clutching a dishtowel over his front, his naked ass facing us. I looked at Connor and we both dissolved into laughter, Aiden struggling to pull his uncle's hand from his eyes.

* * *

"So… you were really hot? That's why your clothes were off? And you were trying to see who could pray the loudest?"

"Aye, dat's righ'," Murphy replied, nodding furiously at his son.

I bit my lower lip, trying to contain my laughter. Connor sat beside me, his foot thumping against the floor, his face beet red as he tried to muzzle his own near hysteria.

Ava shot us a look. "I was told you two took him to town," she hissed, shooting a glare at Murphy.

"Dat's wha' Connor tol' me dey woul' do," Murphy cried, throwing his hands in the air.

Connor snorted. "I tol' ye I woul' tal' ta Kher 'bout et. I didn' say taday," he retorted.

I glanced over at Aiden, coughing back a chuckle. "You okay little man?" I asked.

He gave me a confused look. "If mama and dad were hot and praying, why would we need to leave?"

"No', dat es a brilliant question," Connor commented, leaning back in his chair, a smug grin over his face. "Why woul' we nee' ta go?"

Murphy glared at his brother. "Don' ma' me 'ave ta kill ye, brudder," he hissed, venom dripping from his tone.

"Why don't you just tell Aiden the truth?" I asked, glancing at Ava.

Her eyes widened before narrowing at me. "The truth, huh?"

I grit my teeth when I realized what she meant by her short but loaded response. "Ava," I growled out warningly.

She shook her head. "No, you're right. You should always tell the _men_ in your life the _truth_."

Connor's eyes darted over to me, all amusement washed from his expression. "No', no', wha' are ye goin' o' 'bout?" he asked.

"Nothing," I replied quickly shaking my head.

Ava narrowed her eyes at me. "C'mon Kher, practice what you preach."

"Ava now is _not_ the time," I snarled at her.

Murphy looked between the two of us confused. "Es dere 'bout ta be a ca' figh'?" he muttered.

"Will someone jus' tell say wha' th' 'ell es goin' o'?" Connor growled, his eyes darting between Ava and myself.

I shook my head. "Ava's being dramatic that's-"

"Kherington's pregnant."

* * *

**AN2:**

Anonnie: Yes! That was my goal! I wanted to have a bit of a balance and throw in some lightheartedness especially since that chapter was when Kherington was going to find out exactly what happened. And I tried to channel how the boys were in the movie when Da died. Oh, shattered heart! I wish I could write this story forever, but I only have so much in the chambers! I will manage to make it work in the end though. And you may be in luck! I may have a possible angle to make this a trilogy! I haven't really let it develop yet, just because I need to finish this and I have my other ideas in mind, but it seems as though a trilogy is more plausible. Haha, I'm phenomenal? Thank you. And I'll take borderline crazy fans any day! Makes things interesting! No, deciding to post my writing wasn't easy. In case you couldn't tell from my author's notes, I really beat myself up a lot and never think this stuff is good enough. But then I started reading other stories and I was just like "My stuff is at least as good as some of these... I think." And after a little encouragement from people I just figured "What's the worst that could happen?" and just went for it. I didn't expect what this became but I am SO grateful and posting ended up being one of the best decisions I've made in a long time. I hope that this will eventually help me develop my own ideas/plots and write an actual book, but we will see. I appreciate your compliments and that you take the time to review each and every chapter. It's more than I could ever ask for! Huggies back to you! :)


	27. Crazy Love

**Author's Note:** This chapter is a monster. Way longer than it probably needs to be, but I couldn't figure out where to cut it. Oh well. Hope you like it. And you don't get bored, ha. This story will end with Chapter 30. So, we're coming up on the end, only three more to go. I might even be pushing it, but hopefully you'll stick with me and not think I ran out of steam or something. Anyways... thank you to all who continue to read/review/alert/favorite. Those are the big reasons I keep going. Super special thank you to... **AislingIsobel** (you help me more than anyone will ever know! People! Seriously, read her stuff! It's just as good, probably even better, than mine! GO GO GO!)**, PiercedHeart114, SaraLostInes, Valerie E. Mackin, "Lucy", "Anonnie", "SilverMoonlit", iforgiveyou, "Alessandra"**... wonderful people you are! Love you all madly!

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Crazy Love is Van Morrison (though I prefer the Jason Manns/Jensen Ackles version). Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

_**ALERT! ALERT! MATURE CONTENT AHEAD! You know the drill... if you're not into it, skip the italicized. Rated M for sexual content and butchered Irish. If you're into that sort of thing, have at it. Hopefully it satisfies. :-D**_

**Chapter 27 (Crazy Love):**

"_And when I'm returning from so far away… she gives some sweet lovin', brighten up my day… yes it makes me righteous, yes it makes me whole… it makes me mellow down into my soul…"_

The kitchen was filled with tension filled silence. I tried to push back the tears of betrayal at Ava and swallow my anger. I could feel Connor's eyes on me, but I just couldn't bring myself to meet his gaze.

Murphy cleared his throat. "Aiden, le's ge' ye someting ta ea', alrigh'?"

Aiden nodded and slid out of his chair, taking his father's hand and walking to the fridge.

Connor pushed himself up from the table and walked to our room without a word, leaving Ava and I alone.

I looked up at her, my vision blurred. "How _dare_ you?" I hissed.

Ava swallowed. "I'm sorry it just-"

"If you tell me it slipped, so help me God..."

"Ava, ye tink ye ca' gi' us a 'and?" Murphy interrupted.

"Sure," she replied, quickly standing up and walking over to him.

I shook my head and stood, feeling as though I was weighed down. I made my way to the bedroom, each step becoming harder and harder, my stomach in knots. I gently pushed open the door and slipped into the room, shutting it behind me.

Connor sat on the bed, his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped loosely in front of him. His gaze was stuck on the wall and he didn't even flinch at the sound of my entrance. I leaned against the door watching him, trying to figure out what to say.

"Can' belie' we're 'ere 'gain," he muttered, breaking the silence.

"Wha-" I cleared my throat as my voice cracked. "What do you mean?"

He finally glanced over at me. "We di' dis once befer," he reminded me gently.

"Yeah, I guess we did," I replied softly. "Don't think it will have the same outcome this time though."

"C'mere," he murmured.

I cautiously approached the bed and gently sat down next to him, my hands folded in my lap.

"Es dat wha' ye were goin' ta tell me en th' stable earlier?" he asked.

I swallowed and bit my lip. "Thought about it."

"'ow lon' 'ave ye known?" he pressed.

"I technically don't know yet."

His eyes darted to me, his eyebrow arched.

I sighed. "It's just the way it seems. Ava's the one that's convinced I'm pregnant and a lot of the signs are there, but I don't honestly know."

Connor slowly nodded. "Well..." He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "Wouldn' 'xactly be a su'prise ef ye are, no' woul' et?"

I shook my head. "We were practically asking for it... or I guess I was."

Connor reached over and laced his fingers with mine. "Es et wha' ye wan'? Ef ye are?"

I bit my lower lip. "I don't know. I mean... if I am... then I am... I'll have to accept it." I met his gaze. "Would you want this?"

He pressed his mouth to my forehead before resting his head against mine. "I wan' wha'e'er 'appens ta 'appen. Ef yer goin' ta 'ave a babe, we will figure et ou'."

I turned my body towards him, laying my fingers gently on his wrist. "Are you mad?"

He shook his head. "Wha' woul' I 'ave ta be ma' 'bout? Jus' caught me by su'prise, dat's all."

I sighed. "Okay," I whispered. I jumped a bit as I felt Connor's hand move to my stomach, his fingers gently running over the skin under my shirt. "Y'know," I murmured. "You aren't supposed to touch a woman's stomach without permission. Makes them uncomfortable."

A smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth. "Es dat righ'?"

I shrugged. "That's what they say."

"Goo' ting et's only yers 'm touchin' den. Wouldn' wan' ta make an'one uncomfortable li'."

We sat quietly side by side, resting against each other for a few moments, Connor's fingers drawing circles on my stomach. "I 'ave ta do someting... will ye be alrigh' fer a bi'?" Connor asked, grabbing my hand and giving it a squeeze.

I nodded. "Of course."

"Alrigh'." He moved his fingers to my chin, tilting my head back and kissing me gently. "I won' be long," he promised as he stood.

"Connor, I'm a big girl. I can handle it."

He pressed one last kiss to the top of my head before ducking out of the room. I let out a sigh and laid back on the bed, my hand on my stomach over where Connor's had been, the skin still tingling from his touch. My eyes were on the ceiling when I heard the door open. "That was quick," I murmured, sitting up. My eyes narrowed when I saw it was Ava. "What do you want?" I spat.

She frowned, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. "I just want to talk."

I scowled. "I think you've done enough talking for everybody."

She sighed and shook her head. "Can I sit?" she asked, gesturing at the bed.

"Will it matter if I say no? You tend to just do whatever you want anyway." I laid back back down, my eyes stuck to a spot on the ceiling.

She gave me a wounded look as she sat on the bed. "I was helping you."

I scoffed. "No, you were taking the pressure off of you with your son and distracting everybody by throwing me under the bus."

She narrowed her eyes at me. "You need to accept that this might be happening, Kher."

I sat up on my elbows. "_You _need to stay out of my business and give me _time_ to accept it! It wasn't your job to announce! Especially when we don't even know anything yet!"

She shook her head. "I didn't do anything wrong," she defended.

I crossed my legs under me and gave her a look. "How can you even say that with a straight face?"

"Connor and Murphy deserve to know," she insisted.

"Ava! I don't even know for sure yet!" I exclaimed in exasperation. "Shouldn't I know before anyone else does?"

"You can be mad at me about it all you want, but I did what you wouldn't, that's all."

I gave her a deep scowl. "If roles were reversed, I would not have done that to you. Hell, they have been and I didn't." She opened her mouth to reply but I held up a hand, cutting her off. "Save it. Please leave."

"Kher-"

"Leave," I snarled, my eyes flashing.

Ava shook her head and stood, leaving the room and slamming the door behind her.

* * *

I glanced up from the couch at a loud knock at the front door. I sighed and pulled myself to my feet, shuffling towards the door, pulling it open. A look of surprise fell over my face when I saw it was Eunice.

"Hey darlin', how are ya?" she asked with a smile.

"Hi," I replied. "What are you doing here?"

"Mind if I come in? Bit chilly out here."

I nodded and stepped back, pulling the door open further. "Of course, sorry. You need a drink or anything?"

She shook her head. "No, thank ya though. I'm just here to see ya for a minute."

I shot her a confused look. "That's news to me," I replied, walking towards the kitchen.

"Connor gave me a call yesterday."

I stopped and turned to face her. "I'm sorry?"

"Told me about your little..." She gestured at my stomach. "Possible addition."

I swallowed. "Awesome. Is there anyone who doesn't know about this?"

She brought her hand to her chin and tapped her index finger. "Nope, probably not."

I rolled my eyes and leaned against the wall. "And why did he call you?"

Eunice gave me a shrug and glanced at her nails. "Because he probably didn't have anyone else and knew I'd help." She looked around. "It's so quiet," she commented.

"Connor, Murphy and Aiden are off shearing," I replied, grabbing my sweater off the back of the couch and pulling it over my shoulders. "I'm not sure where Ava went... she's avoiding me, I think."

She raised an eyebrow. "Ya think?"

I sighed. "We got into a fight yesterday, that's all."

"Ya see, that's probably why I don't have more lady friends," she replied. "Not a fan of the cat fight." She pulled a paper bag out of her purse and held it out to me.

"What's this?" I asked, taking the bag.

"Should give you the answer you're lookin' for," she replied.

I sighed and opened the bag, peeking in. "Pregnancy test," I breathed. I closed the bag and clutched it in my fist. "Awesome."

She shrugged. "Ya wanna know, dontcha?"

I wrinkled my nose. "If I know, I have to do something about it."

"Ya have to do something about it whether you know or not if ya are," she pointed out.

I slid to the floor my back against the wall. "I guess so..."

Eunice crossed her arms over her chest. "Seems like somethin' else is botherin' ya, sweetheart."

I met her gaze. "We're all on the run or whatever... we're in hiding... if I'm gonna have a baby..." I paused and swallowed. "How the hell do I do that?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Ya think those boys won't take care of ya?"

I shook my head. "I know they will, but how much can they in this situation?"

Eunice gave me a smile. "Why dontcha take this one step at a time? And not worry til ya havta?"

I wrinkled my nose at her. "I've never really been good at that."

She reached back into her purse, pulling out a bottle. "Well, maybe this can be a start to makin' ya feel better." She tossed it over to me. I caught it and glanced down at the label. "Prenatal vitamins?" I asked, looking back up.

"Good to be prepared, right?" she asked, hitching her purse higher on her shoulder.

A smile pulled at the corner of my mouth. "Guess so."

"Whatever happens, it's all gonna be fine. And you and I both know that Connor will help ya figure it out."

I sighed and leaned my head against the wall. "I know," I murmured.

"I'll leave ya be... unless ya need someone ta hold your hand," she offered. "Not like I haven't been there a time or two."

I shook my head. "Nah, I'm okay. Appreciate the offer though."

She nodded. "If ya need anything, the boys know how to get in touch with me." She turned towards the door and opened it. She stopped, glancing over her shoulder. "I'll be seein' ya darlin'," she promised before walking out, closing the door behind her.

I sighed and pushed myself to my feet, the paper bag clutched in my right hand, vitamins in my left. I walked to the bedroom, setting the vitamins on the dresser and pulling the pregnancy test from the bag. I held it between both hands, staring until the words blurred before me. I looked up at my reflection in the mirror and let out a long exhale.

"Well," I muttered. "Here goes nothing..."

* * *

I looked up as the front door opened and Ava walked into the house. "Where have you been?" I asked.

She turned towards the couch and gently closed the door. "I went for a long walk," she replied. "Had some things to think about."

I nodded. "Clear your head."

She draped her jacket over her arm and nodded. "I think so... you have a minute to talk? Or are you still mad?"

I shrugged. "We can talk. I'm still a bit upset, though."

She made her way around the couch and took a seat, leaving space between us, but turning her body towards me. "I was out of line yesterday. Not my reasoning, but the way I did it."

I nodded slowly. "You were, that's true."

She gave me a look. "You're not going to make this easy for me are you?"

I shrugged. "It's not really my style... you know that."

Ava rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry. I should have respected the fact that you wanted to tell Connor when you had all the information. I may not have agreed with it, but it wasn't my place to tell him."

I nodded slowly. "I appreciate that." I sunk into the couch, resting my hands on my stomach.

"And I shouldn't have said anything in front of Aiden either, that wasn't fair to him, especially with the timing."

I raised an eyebrow. "Did he have questions?"

She sighed. "Murphy and I got the classic 'Where do babies come from' questions."

I winced. "Really? What did you say?"

Ava sighed. "I think we traumatized him. But we tried to give him as few details as possible. Kid's too smart for his own good." She looked over at me. "I'm sure he'll have some questions for you, especially if you turn out to be pregnant."

I bit my lower lip and nodded. "I'll have to look out for him, then."

"How are you feeling by the way?" she asked, resting her ankle on her knee.

"I'm okay. My stomach was a little rough this morning, but I was able to keep some toast down."

"Did I miss anything?" she pushed.

I shook my head. "Not really. I just need to talk to Connor." I rubbed my hands on my knees. "What time is it?"

She glanced at her wrist. "Just about 5. They should be on their way back."

I nodded. "You think you could help Murphy take care of the horses? Just so I can talk to Connor?"

"Of course..." She gave me a look of concern. "Is everything okay?"

I gave her a smile and stood up from the couch. "Yeah, everything's fine." I stretched my arms over my head. "Can you tell Connor I'm in the room?"

"Sure... you sure you're alright? You're just acting weird."

I chuckled. "Ava, I'm fine. Don't worry." I gave her shoulder a squeeze and walked to the bedroom, closing the door behind me. I sighed and shuffled towards the bed, lying down. I bit my lower lip and gently rested my hand on my stomach, waiting. My mind raced, trying to figure out what exactly I wanted to say.

"Ava sai' ye needed ta tal' ta me."

I blinked rapidly and sat up to see Connor standing in the doorway, his hands in his pockets. "I didn't even hear you come in," I replied.

He gave me a smile. "Dat's 'cause I'm a ninja."

I snorted and slid out of the bed, walking over to him. "You have a good day?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Et wa' fi'. Bu' I don' tink ye wanted ta tal' ta me 'bout shee', lass."

I bit my lower lip and looked up at him from under my lashes. "Straight to the point, aren't you?"

He moved a hand to my cheek, his thumb gently running over my cheekbone. "Wha' es et girl?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

I took a deep breath. "Special Agent Bloom came by today..."

He swallowed and nodded. "Aye... she sai' she migh'."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. I took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of cigarettes, sheep, fresh air and Connor, the smell calming my nerves.

"Lass?" he asked, his hand running over my back. "Wha' 'appened? Yer startin' ta scare me a bi'."

I gave him one last squeeze before taking a step back and walking over to the dresser. I opened the drawer and pulled out a plastic bag, the pregnancy test inside. I took one more deep breath and turned to face him, holding it out to him.

He walked over and took it, looking down. He stared at it for a moment before slowly raising his eyes to meet mine. "So yer sayin'..."

I shrugged. "I'm pregnant."

He stared at me, his expression blank. "Yer goin' ta 'ave a babe?" he murmured.

I nodded slowly. "We're going to have a baby."

I waited for Connor to react as he stood there staring at me, the pregnancy test still held tightly in his hand. Suddenly, he tossed the test on the dresser and pulled me to him, his mouth crashing into mine, his hand fisting in my hair. I let out a gasp of surprise as he lifted me off the ground and spun me around.

"Dat's wha' I wa' 'opin' fer, lass," he muttered against my mouth.

I pulled back, my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. "Really?"

He nodded. "Aye. Reminds me dat Murph an' me, we ma' th' righ' choice."

I couldn't help the smile that spread over my face. "You're gonna be a da," I told him.

He let out a laugh. "Aye. Didn' tink dat woul' 'appen." He pulled my mouth to meet his again before he gently settled me back on my feet.

"We should tell Murphy and Ava," I murmured, letting out a shiver as Connor trailed his hands up my arms coming to cradle my jaw.

"Tink we shoul' celebra'," he replied, his voice low. He pulled my mouth to his, my lips parting to welcome him as his tongue mapped the inside of my mouth. I moved my hands to his hips, bunching my fingers in the thick material of his sweater, pulling him closer.

"Lock the door," I whispered into his mouth.

He grinned and walked over to the door, turning the lock and then crossing back to me quickly as he pulled his sweater over his head, dropping it to the floor. I shoved my own sweater off my shoulders and moved my hands to the bottom of my shirt, but Connor shook his head, his hands coming to rest over mine. "Slow, lass. No nee' ta rush."

I bit my lower lip and nodded, letting my hands rest on his hips. He moved an arm around my waist, his hand flat on the small of my back and he pulled me closer. He pressed a kiss to my mouth, but the pressure was gone before I could respond. His lips trailed along my jawline, skimming the skin of my throat. I hissed and squeezed my eyes shut as he nipped at the skin of my collarbone, his tongue soothing the sting. I felt the back of my legs meet the wood of the footboard of our bed and I slowly opened my eyes. He slowly lowered himself to his knees, his face level with my stomach. He looked up at me, his eyes holding a silent question. I brought my lower lip between my teeth and nodded, my hands moving to grip the footboard.

Connor took a deep breath and moved his hands to the bottom of my shirt, pushing the fabric up to just under my breasts. I moved my right hand to hold the fabric in place. He looked up me and gave me a grateful smile before turning his attention back to my stomach. He flattened his left hand against the skin, _VERITAS_ in plain view. He leaned forward and I shivered as a puff of breath hit my skin.

"_Dia duit __aingeal __milis_," he murmured, his lips brushing against my skin. He pressed a kiss to my stomach before rising to his feet and pressing his lips to mine, his left hand still on my stomach, his right moving to the back of my neck.

"What did you say?" I whispered when he pulled away, his blue gaze burning into me.

He gave me a smile. "Dat's between me an' th' babe," he replied.

I raised an eyebrow. "Keeping things from me already?" I murmured.

"Aye. Bu' I do 'ave someting fer ye."

"What's that?"

"_Is breá liom tú_" he told me softly. "I love ye."

_I felt the burn of tears as I smiled and pressed my lips to his. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my body closer. His hands moved to my hips and lifted me onto the bed, his body draping over mine. I whimpered into his kiss as his fingers dipped below my waistband as his thumb popped open the button and slowly lowered the zipper. I rested my hands on his cheeks, my hips coming up to meet his._

_"Settle, lass," he murmured. "Settle."_

_I whined quietly. "Please," I breathed, not even sure what I was asking for._

_"Please wha', lass?" Connor asked quietly, his hands sliding up my sides, taking the fabric of my shirt with each inch he moved, finally pulling the shirt over my head._

_I moved my hands between us, popping the button of his jeans and lowering the zipper, pushing the denim off his hips, taking his boxers with them. I moved my hands back to his cheeks and tried to pull him closer but he resisted._

_"Tal' ta me, girl," he breathed, his fingers dancing over my skin._

_"Connor," I murmured. I jerked my hips against him and he hissed as the denim scratched against his sensitive flesh._

_"Ye playin' dirty no'," he muttered, sliding his hand to the back of my jeans and shoving them down my legs. We both kicked our jeans off and Connor moved to his back, pulling me on top of him. I cocked my head to the side in question. "Don' wan' ta 'urt ye," he muttered, bringing me down and capturing my mouth in another searing kiss._

_I reached between us and grasped him in my hand, slowly lowering myself to him until I was seated against his pelvis, our mouths never separating. I moved my hands behind my back to my bra, but he quickly grabbed my wrists stopping me. "Lea' et," he growled before sliding his hands to my hips and guiding my movements, pulling me almost completely off before sliding me back down again. My eyes rolled back in my head at how good it felt and Connor let out a breathy groan, moving his mouth to my shoulder. He skimmed his teeth over the heated flesh and ran his hands up my back to my shoulders as I took up the rhythm._

_"Fuckin' Christ, Kher," Connor muttered, his teeth sinking into my earlobe as he ran his hands over my back._

_"Lord's name," I breathed, sitting up, my hips never faltering. I sucked in a breath of air and arched my back._

_"Loo' a' me, girl."_

_I forced my eyes open and met Connor's gaze. He brought his thumb to my mouth and I snaked my tongue over it before sucking it into my mouth. He gently pulled it from my lips, a wet POP sounding before moving his hand to where we met. My movements faltered when he ran his thumb over my clit._

_"Don' sto' no', lass," he ordered, his thumb stopping._

_I whined low in my throat and moved forward, my hands gripping the headboard as I picked my rhythm back up, thrusting against him._

_"Aye, lass, dat's wha' I li'," Connor snarled, his thumb moving in furious circles before moving to catch my mouth in another kiss, his thumb never stopping. I felt the icy hot feeling sweep over me and I knew I was close._

_"Connor," I warned, my voice breathy._

_He moved to meet me, sitting straight up as I straddled his lap, still moving. "Go on, Kher," he ground out. His hand moved and he pinched my clit between his first two fingers and I felt like I was combusting. Connor covered my mouth with, swallowing my moan, the fingers of his other hand digging into my hip as he kept my movements going. Connor clenched his teeth together, his eyes squeezed shut._

_"Just fuckin' come, Conn," I gasped, clenching myself around him._

_"Níl go fóill. Ba mhaith liom a bhraitheann tú. Ba mhaith liom a blas tú," he muttered._

_The growl in my ear made me see stars all over again. I couldn't pretend to know what he was saying, but the words alone probably could have made me come without him touching me._

_His hips stuttered and I hissed as he sunk his teeth into my shoulder as he came inside of me. He fell on his back and I lay on top of him, savoring the feeling, aftershocks running through my veins as I struggled to catch my breath._

"I tink ye bro' me, lass."

I looked up, an eyebrow arched. "Broke you how?"

He grinned at me. "Bro' me cock, girl."

I wrinkled my nose. "So vulgar!" I reprimanded, moving to kiss him gently.

He chuckled. "Ye love me an'way, don' ye?"

I rolled my eyes and grinned. "Well, I kinda have to love you now."

He gave me a grin that could have lit up all of Boston. "Aye, cause yer 'avin' me babe."

I rested my chin on the back of my hand. "What do you want it to be?"

"'m fi' wi' a wee lad o' lass," he replied.

I scoffed. "Don't be diplomatic. I know you. What would you prefer?"

He gave it a bit of thought. "Tink I woul' wan' a lass jus' li' 'er ma."

I snorted. "Conn, if you were any cheesier, I'd be able to put you on bread."

He let out a bark of laughter. "Well, Murph 'as a lad. Nee' a lass fer ye."

I wrinkled my nose. "I want a boy."

He raised an eyebrow. "Aye? Fer th' MacManus genes?"

I chuckled. "No, although that helps."

"Why woul' ye wan' a lad den?"

I rolled off of him and grabbed my jeans off the floor, pulling them over my hips, leaving them unbuttoned and tossing his boxers at him. "Girls are hard to deal with," I replied. "I was a hellion, so I can only imagine what a daughter would be like."

"An' I wa' jus' su' a angelic chil' dat ye wan' a lad jus' li' me an' Murph?" Connor asked with a smirk, pulling his boxers on.

I regarded him for a moment and sat on the bed, leaning back on my hands. "Touche, I guess we're screwed either way."

He chuckled and pulled my feet onto his lap. "Aiden turned ou' alrigh'."

I nodded. "Which just guarantees we'll get evil demon seeds."

"Dey'll be goo' lookin'," he pointed out.

I laughed. "Obviously, genetic lottery right here."

"We shoul' gi' th' udders th' goo' news," he suggested.

I heaved a sigh and gently rubbed my foot against his thigh. "I guess we should. Might be fun to make Ava suffer, though."

He chuckled and shook his head. "Shoul' jus' ge' et ou' o' th' way."

I gave him a shrug and rolled off the bed. "Well, let's go then," I replied holding out my hand.

He took it and let me pull him off the bed, kissing the top of my head before grabbing his own jeans and pulling them on. "Ye ready?" he asked, tugging his sweater over his head.

I nodded. "As I'll ever be."

We made our way out of the bedroom and saw Murphy, Ava and Aiden at the kitchen table eating sandwiches. Murphy glanced up and smirked. "Fin'ly 'ere ta join us?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever you're insinuating, you can stop."

"Hi, Aunt Kher!" Aiden squealed, moving to get up.

Ava cut him a look. "Finish your dinner," she told him sternly.

He wrinkled his nose. "But salami tastes funny," he replied.

Ava snorted. "You taste funny," she told him, pinching his side. She glanced up. "There are a couple sandwiches in the fridge if you're interested."

Connor grinned. "Tank ye, lass," he replied, taking a step towards the refrigerator. I grabbed his sleeve pulling him back. He raised an eyebrow at me and I gave him a look.

"We have some news," I announced, lacing my hand with Connor's. Murphy looked up from his sandwich, mustard staining the corner of his mouth.

"Oh?" Ava replied, reaching over and rubbing at Murphy's mouth with her thumb. He swatted at her hand and narrowed his eyes, but she ignored him. "Can I guess what it is?"

"Is it good news?" Aiden asked before taking a huge bite of his sandwich.

Connor shrugged. "Tink so." He glanced down at me with a smile.

I bit my lower lip and looked back at the three at the table. "I'm definitely pregnant."

Ava shrieked. "I TOLD YOU!"

Murphy chuckled. "'bout time ye caugh' u' wi' me _little_ brudder."

Aiden's eyes grew big. "Does that mean we get to go to the cabbage patch?"

Connor furrowed his brow. "Cabbage patch?"

My mouth dropped open. "Ava! You told me that you told him the truth!"

* * *

**AN2:**

Lucy: Haha! So full of excitement! I'm glad you returned to me! I missed you and your excitement! And yes, it looks like a ConKher babe is on the horizon. And I don't know where this stuff comes from... it just manages to come out of my fingertips. Half the time I wonder if it makes sense, haha. Awe, I think you're amazing and wonderful too! I hope you enjoy this chapter! And Ava's not so bad. Just occasional poor choices. They're all guilty of that.

Anonnie: I'm so glad you liked the chapter! And I'm thrilled that these stories are some of your favorites. I think I may have been struck with an idea for an original story of my own, but I'd have to develop it. If I do manage to put something together, I'll probably post it on , so you may have to follow me, haha. And this whole fanfiction thing... I am hoping it's kind of a spring board for writing something original. It is helping me build confidence in my writing. But I will say that I'd rather be unsure of my writing and be pleasantly surprised than think it's really good and it's trash, you know what I mean? I think that's the case with some stories on here (not trying to be rude or judgmental, but there are some stories that just... anyway...). I'm constantly amazed that these stories have done so well and based on reviews are up with some really good BDS stories. It is CRAZY! But I appreciate you thinking I'm the shit. You have to stick with me forever (or as long as my fingers can write) because you make me smile. Deal? :)

SilverMoonlit: Technology is such a pain sometimes! I'm glad you enjoyed Murphy/Ava's excuse. I'm glad Kher being pregnant is kind of a shock. I didn't know if it would really be a surprise. And it has to be Conn's baby, right? :-p And I hope you're pleased with Conn's reaction and love this chapter, too.

Alessandra: Welcome back! I missed you! I hate when life gets in the way. Honestly, I do. But you're backkkkk and that's all that matters! I'm glad you liked the chapters! I figured I had to find some sort of excuse for sex. And I will say, I don't know much about kids, so I'm really guessing at how naive Aiden would be and such. And yes, I wish my praying went like that. Haha. Especially with Connor and/or Murphy. Yeah, Ava kinda got villain-y... oops. I don't think Kher is really the vindictive type though, y'know? And we shall see what the ConKher baby will be. I just made a poem, haha. Love ya back and thank you! I'm so glad you've stuck with me and continue to like the story!

**AN3: **Courtesy of GoogleTranslate Irish to English...

_Dia duit __aingeal __milis-_Hello sweet angel

_Is breá liom tú-_I love you

_Níl go fóill. Ba mhaith liom a bhraitheann tú. Ba mhaith liom a blas tú.-_Not yet. I want to feel you. I want to taste you.

I don't know how accurate these are... just let it happen.


	28. Who's to Say

**Author's Note:** I know, I know, I know. I vanished. Work was INSANE this week! I tried to write each day but at work I was constantly disrupted and then once I got home, I would totally crash. I even drank my weight in coffee (not really because that would be like gallons and I would probably die first, but you get my point) to stay up to write this tonight. Part of me feels like it's forced. Yeah, I know, I always get down on myself and I need to stop. I know what I was aiming for and I think that I got that across but I don't know if it works or flows. This is actually my second attempt at this chapter. I had written something different but I ended up getting rid of most of it because it just didn't feel right. Meh. If this is terrible, let me know and I'll try to fix it somehow. Meh... And thank you for bearing with me when I just disappeared. Anyways, thank you to all who have read/reviewed/favorited/alerted. It's so awesome. Special thanks to... **coffee-ink-fire, AislingIsobel **(your unwavering support and faith in me... it leaves me speechless... thank you for being wonderful and being my friend!), **Valerie E. Mackin, SaraLostInes, "Anonnie", "Lucy", SilverMoonlit, PiercedHeart114, MyWritingMuse **(welcome!)**, "Alessandra"**... words don't even express how much I love you guys. Serious.

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Who's To Say is Vanessa Carlton. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Disclaimer2:** I have never been pregnant. I've never really been around pregnancy. Most of my research that I do is google. I understand that's not the best tool, but here we are. I realize that it would be really difficult to hear a baby's heartbeat through a stethoscope (maybe even impossible). So I decided to take liberties if you will. The scene may not be the most realistic, but it's what I came up with. I welcome any advice someone may want to give me, but I wanted to just put it out there that I realize that this may be off.

**Chapter 28 (Who's To Say):**

"_Who's to say... we won't stay together? Who's to say... we aren't getting stronger? Who's to say I can't live without you? Who are they anyway...?"_

"Shot through the heart and you're to blame…" I sang quietly, my earbuds lodged in my ear as I danced around the living room. I shook my hips with my eyes closed as I moved in a circle. I slowly opened my eyes and let out a yelp when I saw Connor leaning against the back of the couch, his signature smirk in place.

"Where the hell did you come from?" I asked, ripping my earbuds out, Bon Jovi blaring through the tiny speakers.

"Don' sto' o' me 'count, lass," he replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

I felt like my face was on fire as I turned off the iPod and tossed it on the couch, wrapping my arms around my waist. "Aren't you supposed to be with Murphy and Aiden? Sheeping?"

He chuckled and moved around the couch to come towards me. "Ye embarrassed, girl?"

I wrinkled my nose. "You're not supposed to see me acting like an idiot. You're supposed to always think I'm hot and sexy and so mature."

Connor raised an eyebrow. "Well, lass. I do tink yer 'ot an' sexy, I'll gi' ye dat. Bu' mature?" He shook his head and kissed me on the tip of my nose. "Ne'er."

I sighed and cocked my head to the side. "I guess two out of three isn't too bad." I moved my arms to rest on his shoulders.

"Aye," he agreed, his eyes moving to my slightly swollen midsection. "'ow's me babe?"

I glanced down at my stomach and moved my hand to rest over it. "All good here, da," I replied.

He chuckled and laid his hand over mine. "An' yer doin' well, based o' yer… I guess ye woul' call dat dancin'," he teased.

I wrinkled my nose and shoved him lightly. "Haven't you ever heard the saying 'Dance like no one's watching'?"

"Aye, bu' I wa' watchin' wasn' I?" He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Ye do move yer 'ips qui' well, dough... den 'gain I knew dat already," he told me with a leer.

I gave him an eye roll and took a step back, my hand still rested on my stomach. "Seriously though, what are you doing here? It's only…" I glanced at the clock on the wall. "two." I returned my focus to him and chewed my lower lip absently.

"Where's Ava?" Connor asked, ignoring my question.

"She's taking a nap," I replied. "So, why are you back already? Not that I'm not thrilled to see you."

Connor sighed and collapsed on the couch, gesturing for me to sit beside him. "Ye see lass," he began as I snuggled up against his side, his arm automatically curling around me. "I 'ad a though'. We 'ave no idea when dis babe o' ours es comin'."

"I'm probably right around four months," I murmured in reply, laying my head on his shoulder.

"Didn' know ye were a doctor, girl," he commented dryly.

I gave another eye roll and pinched his side making him flinch. "I'm not. I can just remember dates and approximately when I would've conceived. It's not rocket science."

"An'way," he continued. "I tink ye shoul' see a doctor. Make sure e'eryting es alrigh'. Et's no' 'nough fer Bloo' ta brin' ye pills."

I rested my chin on his shoulder, gently running a finger over his neck tattoo. "And where is this doctor you speak of?"

"Ye will see," he replied vaguely, resting his head on the back of the couch.

I frowned. "How are we getting there?"

"All dese questions, lass!" Connor complained, lifting his head to look at me. "Don' ye trus' me?"

I rolled my eyes. "This isn't grilling you, this is me wanting to know what you have planned."

We both turned our heads at a knock on the door. Connor gave me a grin. "Righ' o' time," he told me, pushing himself up from the couch.

I sighed and followed him to the door, standing back as he opened it. I couldn't help my look of surprised when I saw Eunice, Romeo, a man I didn't recognize and Special Agent Paul Smecker.

"Gla' ye all coul' make et," Connor greeted, stepping aside. "Didn' 'spect all o' ye, dough."

"Romeo wanted ta see y'alls new digs," Eunice explained with an eye roll as she stepped over the threshold.

"I wanted to see you guys too," Romeo insisted, cutting a look at Eunice behind his dark sunglasses.

I chuckled. "Good to see you, Rome. Wasn't sure I would have the chance again."

Romeo grinned at me, following Eunice and wrapping me in a hug. I let out a squeak as he lifted me off the ground. "Good to see you too, chica," he told me, giving me a squeeze.

"'ey, careful wi' 'er!" Connor barked, smacking Romeo over the back of the head. "Me lass es fragile righ' no'."

I snorted as Romeo put me down, rubbing the back of his head. "Don't mind Connor's over-protective streak," I told him, taking a step back and resting a hand on my stomach. "Think he's getting some practice since he's convinced a girl is in here."

"Si, I heard this leprechaun knocked ya up," Romeo replied. He gave me a pout and pushed his sunglasses on top of his head. "Really thought we had something," he teased.

Connor snorted. "Me lass 'as better taste den dat."

"Don't know about that," Smecker cut in, stepping into the shack and taking a look around. "She chose you, didn't she?"

Connor's mouth dropped and I covered my mouth with my free hand, smothering a giggle. "You look pretty good for a dead man, Paul," I greeted once I had swallowed my laughter.

Smecker gave me a friendly smile but I noticed that it didn't quite reach his eyes. "And a little weight looks good on you, Kher. I guess congratulations are in order."

Connor pulled me to his side. "I di' pretty goo' ef I say so meself," he replied with a grin.

Eunice snorted, leaning against the couch and crossing her arms over her chest. "Connor, your modesty is just overwhelming."

He gave her a grin and turned back to door where the final man was watching the exchanges with an amused smile. "Goo' ta see ye 'gain, Dr. Grant," he greeted.

The man stepped forward, a friendly smile breaking over his face. "I'm glad it's under better circumstances than the last time."

I raised an eyebrow and looked up at Connor. "Last time...?"

He nodded. "Dis goo' lad stitched me up aft'... well, ye know..."

"Oh," I replied, the happy atmosphere dimming a bit.

Dr. Grant cleared his throat. "So you're the lady in question?" he asked.

I rubbed my stomach lightly. "If you're looking for the girl knocked up by the Irishman, that would be me."

Dr. Grant chuckled. "How about we go to your room and I will ask you some questions and make sure everything is in order?"

I nodded and glanced up at Connor. "You coming or you going to mingle?"

Connor opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by Smecker. "We actually need to discuss some thing's with Connor, if that's alright."

I furrowed my brow but nodded. "Of course." I glanced at Dr. Grant. "This won't take long will it?"

He shook his head. "Not at all. Like I said, this is pretty much just a check up. Not much I can do with out the necessary equipment."

"Okay..." I looked up at Connor. "You'll be here when I'm done?"

He nodded and pressed his lips to my forehead, gently rubbing his hand over my stomach. "No' goin' an'where."

I gave him a smile and turned to Dr. Grant. "If you'll just follow me." We walked to the bedroom and I gently shut the door behind him. I gestured to a chair in the corner. "You can sit there if you'd like," I offered.

He smiled at me kindly. "Kherington, it's alright. I'm just here because Connor asked me to look you over. I probably should have been here right after you found out you were with child." He set a bag on the dresser pulling out a stethoscope, slipping it around his neck.

I chewed my lower lip. "I didn't realize there was even an option of doctor," I admitted.

"I understand." He gestured towards the bed. "How about you lay down and I'll just make sure you're alright?"

I swallowed and lay flat on my back, my eyes on the ceiling. Dr. Grant stepped to my side and gently lifted my shirt to expose my stomach, gently pressing. "So, are you excited?"

I glanced at the older man. "Part of me is."

"Just part?" he asked, sticking the stethoscope in his ears and holding the chest piece in his fingers.

I shrugged. "Well... the circumstances..."

He nodded. "I understand." He pressed the chest piece to my stomach and listened carefully.

"Do you hear anything?" I murmured.

Dr. Grant listened for a few moments before he smiled. "Yup, steady heartbeat. This isn't the most conventional way to do it but..."

I nodded. "I understand."

"Do you want to hear?" he asked.

I swallowed. "Can I?"

He smiled and pulled the stethoscope from his ears. He helped me sit up and handed the stethoscope to me. "Go ahead."

I took a deep breath and slipped the earpieces in. I bit my lower lip and waited.

"I'm gonna move this around. Let me know when you hear a steady rhythm, okay? You'll know what you want to hear..."

I nodded. He slowly moved the chest piece around my stomach, watching me carefully. "There," I whispered. A quiet but steady and rapid BUMBABUMBABUMBABUMBABUM came through the earpieces and I felt my eyes fill with tears. "Is that it?"

Dr. Grant smiled and nodded. "That's it."

I took a deep breath. "Wow..."

Dr. Grant chuckled. "A little overwhelmed?"

I nodded. "Can we make sure Connor hears that before you go? Please?"

"Of course," he replied. "I'll just finish this up first, okay?"

I nodded looking down at my stomach, rubbing my hand over it, a tear trailing down my cheek.

* * *

"So, I'm gonna have to test this blood at the lab, but my guess is that you're right around 17 weeks or so," Dr. Grant told me about an hour later, packing his bag. "Does that sound about right?"

I nodded and sat up on my elbows. "Sounds just about perfect."

"I'm going to need Connor to bring you in a couple of weeks for a true check up. We'll straighten out those details soon," he continued. "How are you on the vitamins?"

"I should be good for another week or so," I replied. "Eunice has been really good about keeping me stocked."

He smiled. "Good. Let me know if you're running low, but we'll just keep up with the schedule you've set. Sound good?"

"Yes, thank you." I sat up completely and turned, hanging my legs over the side of the bed. "I really appreciate this Dr. Grant."

"My pleasure," he told me, patting my hand. "Let me go grab Connor for you so he can give a listen, yeah?"

I grinned. "Yes, please and thank you."

He smiled and quietly ducked out of the room, closing the door behind him. I laid back on the bed, my eyes on the ceiling, absently drawing circles on my stomach. I couldn't help the smile that spread over my face as I thought about the sound of the baby's heartbeat. It was real. Completely real. I glanced over as the door slowly opened. I sat up and a concerned look settled over my face when I saw it was Smecker. "Paul?" I murmured.

He gently shut the door and turned to me, his face serious. "I think you and I need to have a talk," he told me.

I swallowed, a nervous feeling settling in the pit of my stomach. "Okay... about anything in particular or...?"

He walked over and took a seat on the chair in the corner that I had earlier offered Dr. Grant. He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, rubbing a hand over his face. I waited patiently as he moved back to his feet and started pacing.

"You're making me nervous," I muttered.

"I need you to convince Connor that he made a mistake," Smecker told me abruptly, turning his body in my direction and crossing his arms over his chest.

I felt my face screw up in confusion. "A mistake?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "Yes. He and Murphy made a mistake turning down my offer."

I felt the prickle of realization spread over me. "You want me to convince Connor that he should go back to killing?"

He let out a sigh, resting his hands on his hips. "You and I both know that the MacManus brothers are the best at what they do. Sure, I can find any two-bit who wants to attempt to be a hero, but Connor and Murphy feel it in their _bones_. And you know that they shouldn't be giving it up."

I swallowed heavily. "Are you fucking with me right now?"

He shook his head. "I'm serious. Only you would be able to convince Connor. And if Connor is ready, that will bring Murphy too."

I stared at Smecker unable to wipe the expression of disbelief from my face. "I'm pregnant with his child, Paul. Murphy has a son already that he missed out on the first part of his life. Do you really think that I'm going to help you put them in a situation that will risk their _lives_?"

Smecker narrowed his eyes at me. "It's because of you and Ava that they turned me down."

"That was no life they had!" I retorted. "I didn't ask him to choose me! That was his decision!"

"And if you weren't a part of it, he would still be in it," he told me calmly. "Do you really think he and Murphy are happy living in hiding like this? Are _you_?"

I glared at him. "We're happy together," I hissed.

Smecker scoffed. "The fantasy will wear off eventually and then what will be left?" He let out a sigh. "Look. I'm just trying to make you see reason here."

I snorted. "No, you're trying to see your own agenda through."

Smecker smirked. "Yes, I would probably benefit from this, but I'm trying to do some good here and I can't do it without them. Hell, it wouldn't _exist_ without them."

"They were doing that crazy mission on and off for almost a decade. They're not getting any younger," I reasoned.

Smecker gave me a look. "They aren't even 40 yet. They have a few years left in them. Look at how long their father was in this."

My eyes widened. "And look at how their father went out!"

"He went out fighting," he defended.

"He went out _alone_! Sure, Connor and Murphy were there, but that was no life he had before! I don't want that for them!"

Smecker pinched the bridge of his nose. "I just want you to think about this... do you really think that Connor and Murphy will be happy playing house like this? If they go back to their mission, I can offer all of you some protection. Or you and Ava can even go back to the life you had."

I let out a humorless chuckle. "I don't want a life without Connor. I already _tried_ that."

Smecker scowled. "What about the life of that child? What about Aiden's life?"

"What about their lives? They'll grow up knowing and having a father."

He shook his head. "If you and Ava stay with them, you can never offer those children a normal life. If you let the boys go back to what they were doing, you can raise those children normally."

"Normally?" I echoed. "At this point, Ava and I are probably just as wanted as the boys are back in the states. We can't go back there."

"You two didn't contribute to anything except maybe housing them briefly," Smecker explained. "They would have nothing on you. And Duffy and Dolly could help."

I grit my teeth. "I love him. I gave him up once. I'm not doing it again."

He heaved a sigh. "You're being selfish. This is for a greater good, can't you see that."

I met his gaze, my eyes cold. "Connor and Murphy made their decision on their own. I can't change it for you. And I will not try."

We stared at each other in silence for several moments before Smecker looked away, shaking his head. "Just give it some thought. What kind of future do all of you have? Living in a shack in the middle of nowhere... cut off from your families... all you have is each other..."

"That's all we need," I replied quietly.

"But for how long?" he pressed.

"It's inevitable that they'll be called again. They tried to give the life up once and ended thrown right back in the middle of it. How long until that happens again?"

I opened my mouth to reply, but was cut off as the door opened and Connor stepped into the room, Dr. Grant behind him. He glanced at Smecker, his mouth forming a thin line. "Wha' are ye talkin' ta 'er 'bout?" he growled quietly.

Smecker gave him a smile. "Just wishing her luck." He turned to me, faking another smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I'm sure I'll be seeing you soon, Kherington," he promised before clapping Connor on the shoulder and leaving the room.

Connor turned to me, his eyes filled with concern. "Ye alrigh'?" he asked, moving to the bed and sitting beside me.

I swallowed and gave him a small smile. "Yeah, I'm good."

He gave me a look but let it go for a moment. "Th' goo' doc tol' me ye 'ad someting fer me."

I nodded and laid down. Dr. Grant pulled the stethoscope from around his neck and handed it to Connor. "Put that in your ears, alright?"

Connor nodded, putting the earpiece in. Dr. Grant grabbed the chest piece and set it against my stomach. "Let me know when you hear something different."

I watched Connor's face as the doctor moved the chest piece around and felt my heart clench when his eyes widened. "I ca' 'ear et," he whispered.

I bit my lower lip as his eyes brightened and he stared at me in wonder. "That's our baby," I whispered.

A grin broke over his face. "Dat's our babe," he repeated bending down and kissing me gently. He rested his forehead against mine, our eyes locked. I could feel our excitement, but I couldn't help that Smecker's words were repeating in the back of my mind and wondered if this was really what Connor wanted.

* * *

**AN2:**

Anonnie: Miss me? Haha. Good! I'm so glad you were so full of love last chapter! I hope it continues! I'm so glad that the chapter worked for you. That thrills me to no end! And you got the feels! Awe! Haha! :) I couldn't have another false alarm. ConKher pretty much had to have a baby. All the signs were there and such and they kept tempting fate. Plus they're older now and I think a family is the next step. I wish I could right this story forever, but I kinda feel like I'm running out of steam and I don't want this to turn into crap or anything. But I keep telling you that I will keep writing and I promise I will (as long as real life doesn't get in the way). Your reviews seriously make my day. You're always so full of kinda words and are just so fun. And wow! It is so awesome that you love these characters so much! That means the world to me! You are wonderful! And I like all the emotion! Keep it coming! I'm not sure if this is making any sense because I'm coming down from a caffeine high. So, I'm probably just babbling. But the moral of the story is: thank you, I love you, you're awesome, HUGGIES!

Lucy: Haha, I got that hint that you weren't an Ava fan. Oh well. You still like Kher, right? Haha. And we shall see what pops out. I'm glad you like the chapter! And I know, it's almost over. ::Sad face:: But that just means other stories, right...?

Alessandra: Everyone wants her to have twins, haha! We'll see what happens! :) I hope the blush-worthy celebrating was a good thing, haha. And I don't know, I figured the different language thing was a nice touch. I'm glad you liked it. And the cabbage patch was a hit! That was a last minute add, so AWESOME! :) I'm glad Ava redeemed herself a bit. I'm glad you still like the story and continue to review. You're awesome! Love ya bunches! :)


	29. Trust Me

**Author's Note:** I'm alive! I'm so, so, so, so sorry guys! Life got crazy and then I had a monstrous case of writer's block! Tried to get stuff done yesterday, but I went to see Florence + the Machine... such a great show! But I'm back! And here's a chapter! Thank you, all of you, for sticking with me (assuming you do, haha)! We'll do a short AN for today. I won't beat myself up or anything. Anyways, thank you, all of you who take the time to read/review/alert/favorite. Best feeling ever when I see those numbers and get the notifications. Special thanks to... **Rhanon Brodie** (if you do nothing else, read her stuff... she has an excellent Boondock arc that I just... I don't even have words for!), **Valerie E. Mackin** (okay, you need to read her stuff too... another great Boondock arc... pleasure to read!), **"Lucy"**, **Aisling Isobel **(my girl! Thanks for your support and yet another excellent Boondock author! You guys have some reading to do!), **SilverMoonlit**, **coffee-ink-fire**, **"Anonnie"**,** PiercedHeart114**... your reviews are such a joy and pleasure to read and I cannot tell you how excited I get when those notifications come through! Thank you, thank you, thank you! PS... this journey is almost over! Just one more chapter guys! :'(

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Trust Me is The Fray. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Disclaimer2:** I have never been pregnant. I've never really been around pregnancy. Most of my research that I do is google (and a few authors on here have been kind enough to shoot me advice). So I'm doing the best I can with my limited knowledge. So cut me some slack, haha.

**Chapter 29 (Trust Me):**

"_Looking for something I've never seen, alone and I'm in between... the place that I'm from and the place that I'm in, a city I've never been..."_

I sat on the front porch a few evenings later, my hands wrapped around a mug of hot chocolate, a blanket over my knees as I stared blindly into the distance. I chewed my lower lip thoughtfully, Smecker's words repeating through my brain.

"_They tried to give the life up once and ended thrown right back in the middle of it. How long until that happens again?"_

I tapped my fingers against the ceramic mug, the sharp clicking of the metal of my ring mixing with the evening rhythm of the crickets and cicadas in the yard. What if Smecker was right? How happy could we all stay in this situation? How long could we even remain here?

"Keepin' watch?"

I jumped slightly at the intrusion before I glanced over my shoulder at the door and forced a smile. "Hi, Murphy," I greeted, my voice soft. "What are you doing out here?"

Murphy took a seat on the stairs beside me, resting his forearms on his knees, his hands clasped in front of him. "Jus' pu' Aiden ta be'. Ava's readin' 'im a be'time story. Though' 'd kee' ye comp'ny a bi'." He scooted closer to me, pulling his coat tighter, his seat flush against mine.

"Why don't you just sit on my lap?" I told him snidely, flicking him in the shoulder as he snatched the mug out of my hand and took a swig.

"Maybe aft' ye 'ave me niece or nephew," he replied, handing me the mug. "Et's a wee bi' nippy ou' 'ere, lass. Wha' are ye doin?"

I sighed and looked forward. "Is it? I didn't really notice."

He nudged me with his shoulder. "Wha's th' matt', girl? Ye 'aven't bee' righ' fer a coup' days no'. Connor's worried 'bout ye."

I glanced over at him. "He send you out here?"

Murphy shook his head. "Nah, sen' meself. Jus' though' maybe ye woul' tal' ta me 'bout wha' migh' be botherin' ye." He slid his arm over my shoulders and pulled me to his side.

I sighed and laid my head on his shoulder, settling my hand on my stomach. "Are you and Connor happy?" I murmured.

I felt Murphy stiffen up beside me in surprise. "Course we are... why wouldn' we be?"

I chewed my lower lip. "You gave up a lot for Ava and me... that's all..."

He drew back and turned his body to face me. "Kher, loo' a' me."

I met his piercing gaze, his eyes narrowed at me.

"Why woul' ye ask dat?" he questioned, his head cocked to the side.

"It's just something I wondered..." I trailed off, looking at my knees.

Murphy put his fingers to my chin, forcing me to look at him. "Be hones' no', lass."

I pursed my lips and swallowed. "Do you regret turning Paul down?" I asked.

He regarded me for a few moments, lowering his hand to his lap. "Di' 'e say someting ta ye?" he asked me quietly.

"He just made a few decent points... that's all..."

Murphy scowled. "No, lass. 'e didn'. Don' know wha' 'e sai' ta ye, bu' I know dat 'e wa' tryin' ta ge' en yer 'ead. An' 'parently, et worked." He paused, lifting his hand to his chin, rubbing his finger over his lips thoughtfully, his mouth turned down in a frown.

"You didn't answer my question," I pointed out.

Murphy sighed and reached into his pocket for a cigarette. He slipped it between his lips, but didn't light it. "Dere's not'ing ta regre'. Dat par' o' me life wa' o'er th' minute Aiden wa' bor'. Jus' too' a bi' a time fer me ta know dat."

"And Connor?" I whispered, looking down at the ground.

Murphy shook his head and leaned back on his hands, rolling the cigarette from side to side. "Me brudder doesn' 'ave regrets. An' ef 'e di', dat wouldn' be one o' dem."

"Murphy?"

I glanced over my shoulder to see Ava in the doorway looking concerned.

"Aye, girl?" he answered.

"You coming to bed?"

He nodded. "Gi' me a minute, alrigh'?"

Ava tightened her robe and glanced at me. "Everything okay?"

I gave her a smile. "Just hormones. You know how it goes."

She looked unconvinced but gave a nod. "You know where I am if you need me," she offered quietly before turning back into the house, letting the screen door shut behind her.

I nudged Murphy. "Go spend time with your girl. I'll be alright."

He gave me a look. "Ye sure?"

I smiled and nodded. "I appreciate you wanting to take care of me, Murph, I do, but that's not your job. You have enough on your plate."

He smirked. "Ye sayin' Ava's a 'andful?"

I chuckled. "You forget, I was dealing with her first."

Murphy shook his head and pushed himself to his feet. "Ye comin'?"

"Nah," I replied. "I think I wanna stay out here a little longer. Might walk around the yard or something."

Murphy frowned. "By yerself?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm pregnant, not a paraplegic. I think I can handle an evening stroll around our yard."

"I know ye ca', lass, bu' et's col' an' late, dat's all. An' ye shoul' ge' some rest."

I sighed and pulled myself to my feet, setting my mug on the stairs to grab the blanket and wrap it around my shoulders. "I won't be that far behind you, okay? Just wanna clear my head, get a little more fresh air." I leaned down and picked up the mug, taking a sip of the now cool hot chocolate.

Murphy stared at me for a beat before letting his shoulders sag. "Alrigh'." He pressed a kiss to the top of my head before taking a step back. "Try no' ta tink too 'ard no', alrigh'? Ain't goo' fer ye o' th' babe."

I rolled my eyes but gave him a smile. "You're worse than Connor."

He gave a chuckle before disappearing into the house. I sighed and turned away, the smile slowly leaving my face. I swallowed what was left of my hot chocolate, grimacing at the grittiness from the settled powder in the last sip. I set the mug on the porch and quietly walked towards the middle of the yard, tightening the blanket around my shoulders as a sharp breeze picked up, making me shiver. I glanced up at the sky, the stars twinkling in the night and let out a sigh. I tried to let Murphy's words drown out Paul's, but I couldn't help the cold hand of doubt that made it's way into my brain. The last time I thought nothing could break us, we were shattered... how could I trust that wouldn't happen again?

I let out a gasp of surprise as I felt an arm move around my waist and a hand flat on my stomach.

"Shh, lass," Connor soothed, his brogue rough in my ear. "Et's jus' me."

I swallowed and relaxed. "I didn't even hear you coming."

He chuckled, resting his chin on my shoulder and looping his other arm around me, linking his fingers over my stomach. "I noticed," he replied. "Called fer ye a couple times an' ye didn' e'en flinch."

"Sorry," I murmured, my body immediately melting into his embrace.

"Ye alrigh'?" he asked as I moved my hands to rest over his.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied automatically.

Connor scoffed and gently turned me in his arms to face him. His face was covered in shadow, but his gaze still penetrated me as it always did. "Ye kee' sayin' yer fi' an' I belie' ye less an' less each time," he commented.

I raised an eyebrow. "What am I supposed to say?"

He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "Kher, ye 'aven' talked ta me since th' doctor. I can' 'elp ye ef ye don' tal' ta me."

I frowned and took a step back. "I don't need help. I'm fine, Conn, really. It's just this whole pregnancy thing, that's all."

Connor frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "An' no' yer lyin' ta me."

I gave him a scowl. "No, I'm not."

"Why es et ye ca' tal' ta me brudder an' be hones' wi' 'im, bu' ye can' tal' ta me?" he asked, his voice quiet, but hurt.

I furrowed my brow and swallowed. "What are you talking about?"

"I 'eard ye talkin' o' th' porch earlier, dat's wha' 'm talkin' 'bout," he retorted.

I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest, pulling the blanket tighter. "What gives you the right to eavesdrop on a personal conversation?" I growled.

I could see Connor's jaw twitch as he grit his teeth, trying to keep his frustration in check. He swallowed audibly, his Adam's apple bobbing and pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut. "Kherin'to', yer no' bein' fair ta me," he finally muttered, lowering his hand and opening his eyes.

"What does that mean?" I retorted, pursing my lips, waiting for a rebuttal.

"I really don' wan' ta figh' wi' ye," Connor pleaded. "Will ye please just _tal'_ ta me? Dat's all I wan'."

I felt my anger slowly drain out of me as he stared at me. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "You're right..."

He took a cautious step towards me, his hand resting on my elbow. "'bout which par'?"

I swallowed and wiped at my eye as a tear fell over my cheek. "All of it? I guess it's just easier to come clean with Murphy because..." I trailed off.

"Because...?" he pressed.

"It won't hurt as badly if he tells me what I think I'm going to hear," I whispered, looking down at the ground.

"Ye doubtin' me, lass?" Connor murmured, moving his hand to my chin and gently lifting it to meet his gaze.

I sighed and bit my lower lip. "Connor, you changed everything for me... you gave up everything for me... when does it all become too much?"

He tilted his head to the side. "Do ye ferge' dat ye di' th' same fer me?"

I frowned and shook my head. "I disagree."

Connor snorted. "'mon, Kher. Ye 'ad a choice o' stayin' ba' an' startin' yer li' o'er. Ye didn' 'ave ta be wi' me. Ye chose ta gi' u' wha' ye knew ta come 'ere." He sighed. "I woul' 'ave turned Smecker dow' e'en ef ye didn' come 'ere. I 'ad ma' dat decision befer ye ma' yers."

I furrowed my brow. "But why? It was something you believed in."

He nodded. "Yer righ'. An' I still belie' me an' Murph di' righ' by Go'. Bu' like I tol' ye. Et's no' jus' me an'mo'." He lifted his hand and rested it on my cheek, giving me a smile. "I go' ta take care o' ye, righ'? An' we 'ave a babe comin'. Can' risk no' comin' ba'."

I bit my lower lip and leaned into his hand before slowly nodding. "So you don't regret it? Giving it all up?"

He chuckled. "Coul' ne'er regre' a choice dat gives me ye, girl."

I swallowed and forced a smile. "Okay," I whispered.

He gently wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to his chest, hugging me against him. "Smecker sai' someting ta ye den? Dat's wha' brough' dis on?"

I rested my cheek against his chest, wrapping my arms around him under his coat. "Yes," I murmured, closing my eyes and inhaling his scent as he gently rubbed his hands up and down my spine.

"Wha' di' 'e say?" Connor pressed.

I sighed. "Is it really important?"

"Ef et upsets ye li' et di'? Aye."

"He just was saying that you two are the best and he needs you and there's no way we could make it in this situation," I muttered. "That was the gist."

He sighed and kissed the top of my head. "Though' as much."

I pulled back to look up at him. "What do you mean?"

Connor moved his hands up my body stopping to cradle my jaw. "'e wa' sayin' th' same ta me befer 'e dis'peared an' ended up wi' ye." He shook his head. "Smecker's no' a ba' man... 'e's jus' determined. An' 'e's no' wrong... bu' Murph an' me aren' th' men fer th' job an'more."

"He's not going to stop trying to convince you that you're wrong, you know that, right?"

He shrugged. "Doesn' mea' 'e's righ'. An' et doesn' mea' et will work." He pulled my face to his and kissed me softly. "Bu' I am goin' ta make sure 'e doesn' drag ye enta an'ting 'gain," he muttered when he pulled away. "Ye don' nee' ta be dealin' wi' stress as et were."

I gave him a half smile. "The man's not stupid. He knows that I'd be a decent player in getting you back into it, considering..." I glanced down at my stomach.

He chuckled. "Li' I tol' ye, dat's a reason why I won' go ba'." He laced his fingers with mine. "Le's go ta be', alrigh'? Ye nee' yer res' an' et's fuckin' arctic ou' 'ere."

I rolled my eyes but let him pull me towards the house. "Am I going to have to warm you up?"

He wrapped his arm around my waist and gave me a smirk. "Dat's no' such a ba' idea, I reckon."

* * *

"Aunt Kher, your belly's getting really big."

I lifted my head off the arm of the couch and gave Aiden a scowl as he plopped down onto the couch at my feet. "You calling me fat, little man?"

He shook his head furiously. "No, it's because you have a baby in there, right?"

I nodded before laying my head back down. "That's right. You're going to be a cousin, bubba."

"Aiden, leave Kher alone," Ava reprimanded, walking into the living room, wiping her hands with a towel. "She's trying to rest."

I gave Ava a tired smile. "It's okay, A. He's fine. He can ask questions."

She sighed and sat in the recliner. "You know once he starts, he won't stop," she warned.

I chuckled. "I better get used to it." I glanced up to see Aiden standing at my hip, his eyes on my stomach.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" he asked, his gaze still zeroed on my abdomen.

"Don't know yet," I replied.

He frowned. "Why not?"

I gave him a smile. "I want to be surprised and so does Uncle Connor."

"Why?"

I shrugged. "For fun?" I watched as he laid his hand on my stomach. "What do you want it to be?"

He furrowed his brow comically, making Ava and I both choke back giggles. "I dunno..."

"There's no wrong answer baby," Ava urged.

"Well... I guess..." His eyes darted to me. "A boy..." he whispered.

I nodded and laid my hand over his, patting it. "That's what I want too, buddy. But if it's a girl, that's okay too."

He nodded furiously before moving his eyes back to my stomach. "When will it get here?"

"The baby should be here in the middle of February... you know how long that is?" I asked.

"Um..." He looked at Ava for help.

She shook her head. "You know math. You can do this."

He frowned and looked down at his feet. "Umm... it's October?"

I nodded. "Right..."

"So... four months away?"

I grinned. "That's right. Such a genius."

He beamed at me.

"And Aunt Kher's about 20 weeks along... how many months is that?"

Aiden curled his lip thoughtfully. "Five months?"

Ava and I both clapped and cheered. "Clearly the boy got my brains," Ava crowed.

I chuckled. "You're so modest, A." I flinched as Aiden pressed on my stomach. "Ow, bubba don't push..." I trailed off and my eyes widened when I felt a gently push back. "Omigod..." I murmured.

Aiden's eyes grew as big as saucers and he held his hand to his chest, looking from his hand to my stomach repeatedly. "Something just pushed my hand."

Ava's mouth dropped and she stood up, walking over to stand beside her son. She laid her hand where Aiden's had been and gently pushed and let out a quiet gasp when the baby pushed back again. "Holy..."

"Wha's goin' on 'ere?"

The three of us looked at the door where Connor and Murphy stood, smudged with dirt and their hair in disarray.

"Daddy! I felt Aunt Kher's baby move!" Aiden cried excitedly.

Connor's eyes grew large and he shoved Murphy out of the way and leapt over furniture to get beside me.

"Connor, indoor rules," Ava teased.

He ignored her and laid his hand on my stomach, his eyes meeting mine. I bit my lower lip and smiled, laying my hand over his and moving it to where Ava and Aiden had put theirs. "Just gently press... like this," I whispered, pushing our hands against the skin. He sucked a sharp breath between his teeth as the baby pushed back for a third time.

"'oly shit," he muttered, looking down at our hands in wonder.

"I know," I replied, my voice thick.

He bent down and kissed me, our hands still on my stomach.

"Move, brudder, I wan' ta feel et," Murphy interrupted, shoving Connor to the side.

Connor scowled. "Ain't yer babe, brudder. An' Kher's no' some carnival game fer ye."

I snorted and jumped when Murphy's hand came to lay on my stomach. "Dammit, Murphy, your hands are like ice!"

He ignored me and gently repeated the same motion the others had and let out a laugh when he felt the baby. "Stron' babe ye go' en dere, lass. Ye sure et's Connor's?" he teased, cutting his eyes at his brother.

Connor scowled and wrapped his arm around Murphy's neck pulling him into a headlock.

"Hey! If you are going to rough-house, take it outside!" Ava yelled as Aiden jumped on Connor's back.

I giggled as the three moved outside wrestling and exchanged a look of delight with Ava. "You know you want to play with them," I teased.

She rolled her eyes. "No thanks, I'll stay with you." She sat at my feet and laid her hand on my stomach.

I rested my hand with hers and gave her a grin. "We've come a long way, Morgan," I told her, giving her fingers a squeeze.

She chuckled and shook her head. "You're telling me."

* * *

**AN2****:**

Lucy: I know, I know. Why, Smecker, WHY! I think Conn and Murph will be smart about it, we'll see. ;-) Haha, don't pull out your hair! That's not good! I don't want anyone going bald! I hope the ending works for you (not that we're there yet, but so close...). I promise to write more stories. They may not be up immediately, but I will be working on them. I know I said I was going to do Boondock one-shots, but I think I need a break, just to make myself fresh again. So I think Walking Dead is next in the barrel. We shall see! Hope you're doing alright my friend!

Anonnie: Yeah, I kinda wanted to throw a little Smecker in, but I didn't see him just coming in and being like "Yay! You wrecked all my plans!". He was being selfish, but he's desperate too, y'know? Haha, I knew I had to get the girl to a doctor. She is pregnant, after all! And I figured that would work. I tried a slightly different angle taking her to see him, but it didn't really work. I appreciate crazy. I get that way some (most) of the time. And omg... I totally laughed so hard a snorted. "Pieces of chocolate for my ovaries". I LOVE that. Amazing. Love you much, glad you love the story, and thanks for sticking around and continuing to review! Giant huggies back to you!


	30. All Roads Lead Home

**Author's Note:** Alright... so (1) I suck. I keep vanishing and it gets longer and longer each time when I swore I wouldn't. Life really has its way of creating roadblocks for the things you actually _want_ to do. (2) I know I said this story was going to end with Chapter 30. I lied. Well, I didn't _lie_, I was mistaken. I tried to write this chapter and it really gave me an incredibly hard time. Then, when it started to actually flow, it's just became much too long and needed to be split. So... to celebrate... I guess Yom Kippur...? you get a chapter. And it's not the last one. Don't throw things at me. Anyways, as always, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read/review/fave/alert. It's so nice to see that people are still reading, even as I vanish. Big super duper happy thank yous to... **Valerie E. Mackin** (read her stuff. It will make you happy. I promise), **SaraLostInes, AislingIsobel **(I adore you! And everyone needs to read her stuff as well. So good)**, SilverMoonlit, "Anonnie", OhhKellyRose **(welcome!)**, "Lucy", "Alessandra"**... you all are the bestest ever! Thank you for your patience and enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. All Roads Lead Home is Golden State. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

**Disclaimer2:** I don't have a problem with the names Trevor or Charlotte. It was mostly for banter purposes. So take no offense, ha.

**Chapter 30 (All Roads Lead Home):**

"_Your blood, your fire, your kiss good night... your words and touch, they might be mine... I feel this love could cross the sand... I wanna feel that way..."_

"Trevor?"

Connor snorted and glanced over at me. "No way."

I wrinkled my nose. "What's wrong with the name Trevor for a boy?"

"Wen' ta school wi' a lad named Trevor. Total cockup. Won' subjec' me chil' ta dat possibility," he explained.

I rolled my eyes and crossed the name off the list. "Fine, what do you have?"

He glanced down at his list. "Charlotte."

I gave him a look. "Charlotte? Of all the names in the world, you pick Charlotte?"

"Th' fuck es wron' wi' Charlotte?" he asked incredulously.

I shrugged and reached over, crossing the name off his list. "Nothing. Except I'm not going to name my child after a spider."

Connor screwed up his face in confusion. "Th' fuck?"

"Charlotte's Web...? Hello...?"

He stared at me for several beats. "Though' dat boo' wa' 'bout a pig..."

I sighed. "It is. And a spider named Charlotte." I looked back down at my list.

"Bu' et's a children's boo'..."

I scowled at him. "I don't like spiders. Let's move on."

"Ye know wha' ye shoul' name yer babe?"

Connor and I glanced up at the doorway to see Murphy leaning against the frame, his arms crossed over his chest. Connor's mouth pulled into a frown. "Ef yer comin' up wi' et, I don' wan' ta 'ear et."

Murphy gave him the finger and turned his focus to me. "Ye wan' ta know, don' ye, Kher?"

I raised an eyebrow and help my notepad to my chest. "Hit me with it."

"Murphy. Goo' stron' Irish name. 'ave ta ma' u' fer th' fac' dat th' babe will 'ave Connor's genes," he told me with a smirk and a twinkle in his eye.

I bit my lower lip trying not to laugh and glanced over at Connor as his eyes narrowed at his twin and his lips curled into a snarl. "Go. 'Way." he growled before throwing his pen at Murphy, hitting his shoulder with surprising accuracy.

Murphy let out a cackle before skipping down the hall. I let out a snort and turned to Connor. "Murphy's right."

His face screwed up in confusion. "Th' fuck, Kher? Ain' namin' me babe aft' me brudder. One o' 'im es ba' 'nough."

I rolled my eyes and punched him in the shoulder. "No, ass. We should give the baby an Irish name."

His gaze softened. "Why woul' ye wan' ta do dat?"

I felt my mouth quirk into a half smile. "The Irish have done pretty well by me," I replied, my voice quiet.

Connor grinned and pressed a kiss to my mouth before tearing his page of names out of the notebook and balling up the paper. "Well den, lass, we nee' ta star' o'er." He reached over and snatched my pen out of my hand.

"Hey!"I whined, punching him in the shoulder. "Just because you got violent doesn't mean you can steal from me."

He brushed his lips over my temple before turning back to his notebook."We're sharin'. Ye know 'ow ta share, don' ye?"

I scowled. "No. I'm an only child. We never learned to share."

Connor chuckled as started scribbling names. "Ye ca' 'ave th' pen ba', jus' gi' me a secon', alrigh'?"

I sighed and sunk into the pillows, staring up at Connor as he focused. My eyes wandered over his jawline, down to his neck tattoo. I bit my lower lip as his bicep flexed from under his shirt sleeve as he wrote.

"Yer startin' ta ma' me fee' cheap, lass," he muttered, his eyes not leaving his paper.

I raised an eyebrow, my gaze shifting back to his profile. "That's new," I replied.

His mouth quirked in a half-smile. "Yer lookin' a' me li' a piece o' mea', dat's all."

I rested my hand on my stomach. "Leave me alone. You know my hormones are totally out of whack right now."

"Are dey no'?" he replied absently, still scribbling names.

I sighed and threw my arm over my eyes, blocking out the light. "Yeah. I'm like horny, all the time."

I bit the inside of my cheek as I felt Connor stiffen beside me and heard the pen drop to the paper. I felt his gaze settle on me. "Come 'gain, lass," he rasped.

I shifted my arm and opened one eye, taking in his heated gaze. "I just want to have sex with you, like... all the time," I replied, shrugging my shoulders. "And it's only getting worse the further along I get." I swallowed heavily and audibly as I watched Connor's pupils dilate, a flush rise to his cheeks. He tossed the notebook and pen over the side of the bed.

"Ye ne'er mentioned dat, love," he muttered, his voice low, his hands rubbing up and down his jean clad thighs.

I pushed myself to a sitting position, sucking in a breath when he immediately moved closer, his nose gently brushing mine and his breath ghosting over me. "You never asked," I murmured. "Figured you were too afraid of hurting the baby. Or maybe had something against pregnant women since you never offered to... help..."

Connor replied with a scoff before tucking his hand under my hair at the back of my neck and pulling me to him, his lips sealing over mine, his tongue immediately mapping out the inside of my mouth. I whimpered into the kiss, my hand fisting in his shirt, trying to pull him closer. I shivered as I felt the fingers of his other hand tickling against the skin of my back and I shifted closer, nipping his bottom lip gently.

"Maybe we shoul' close th' doo'," Connor growled against my lips.

"Uh huh," I managed to grunt out. He smirked and moved to get out of the bed.

"Aunt Kher!" My eyes widened as Aiden flew into the room, a flash of color as he leapt onto the bed. Connor's narrowed and his mouth turned down into a pout. "Da said you're naming the baby!" Aiden squealed excitedly.

I coughed to smother a smirk as I saw Connor grit his teeth and shift, pressing the heel of his hand against his obvious erection. "Course 'e fuckin' di'," he muttered, his voice barely about a growl.

"Yeah, bubba, we're trying to think of names," I told Aiden, giving me a smile.

"Can I help?" he begged, his eyes wide.

I sighed and glanced at Connor giving him a shrug. "Can he help?"

"Don' tink we 'ave a choice, no' do we?" he replied, grabbing the other pen off the floor.

* * *

"I tol' ye dat 'm no' int'rested."

I slowly woke up to the sound of Connor's snarl, his voice quiet. I opened one eye and saw that he was facing the dresser, his back to me, his shoulders tense.

"No, I tol' ye dat I wasn' doin' et," he growled, his fingers tightening around the phone. He paused and I could hear the voice on the other end, but I couldn't make out words. "Fuck, e'en ef I wan'ed ta, ye ruined dat whe' ye tried ta brin' Kherin'to' enta dis mess."

I bit my lower lip. Smecker...

"Don' call me 'bout dis 'gain, alrigh'? Ef I change me min', I'll fin' ye, bu' don' coun' o' et." He clicked the phone off abruptly and tossed it on the dresser, rubbing a hand over his face before resting his palms on the top, his head hanging between his shoulders.

"Connor?"

He glanced over his shoulder at me and forced a smile. "'m sorry, lass. Di' I wa' ye?"

I pushed myself to a sitting position and rested my back against the headboard. "What's wrong? What time is it?"

He sighed and pushed himself away from the dresser, walking back to the bed and crawling in beside me. "Et's 'bout 1 en da morn, love." He slipped his arm around my waist and gently pulled me into his side.

"Was that Smecker?" I asked quietly.

"Aye," he replied shortly, a note of irritation in his tone.

I rested my chin on his shoulder, my eyes on his profile. "He still trying...?"

"Aye," he repeated, his jaw twitching and I could see that he was grinding his molars together.

I bit my lower lip. "Connor..."

He glanced over at me, his hand tightening on my hip. "Wha'?"

"Do you want to go back?" I asked.

Connor furrowed his brow and leaned back to stare at me. "Yer goin' ta star' dat 'gain?"

I shook my head and turned to face him, settling a hand on my swollen stomach. "I'm not starting anything, it's just a question. Do you really believe you're done?"

He rubbed a hand over his face. "Aye, Kher, dat's finished. I wish e'eryone woul' jus' le' me move on from et."

I cocked my head to the side and rested my hand on his knee. "Conn, we're just talking. I'm just trying to understand why Smecker would keep trying to get you to come back." I paused thoughtfully. "Is he talking to Murphy, too?"

He shook his head. "Ef 'e es, dey 'aven' tol' me 'bout et." He sighed and laced his fingers with mine. "'m no' goin' ba', lass. Dere's nothin' ta really tal' 'bout."

"Well…what does Smecker want you to do?" I asked, looking down as he gently rubbed his thumb over the back of my hand.

"'e sai' dat ef I wasn' goin' ta go ba' ou', I coul' be…" He trailed off, measuring his words. "A sor' o'consultant es 'ow 'e pu' et."

"Like a planner?"

"Aye," he said with a nod, his tired eyes meeting mine.

"That seems right up your alley," I murmured, wincing as there was a sharp kick in my lower abdomen.

"Ye alrigh'?" he murmured, a look of concern washing over his expression.

I shifted and bit my lower lip. "Yeah… little Declan or Siobhan isn't happy that mommy's awake right now," I replied, resting my hand on my stomach and rubbing gently as I moved to lie back down. Connor reached forward and laid his hand on my stomach beside mine.

"Th' babe 'as bee' actin' u' a lo' lately," he pointed out.

"Seems like," I agreed. "Always moving in there."

"Tink ye migh' 'ave two o' dem en dere?" he asked, his eyes on my stomach.

I frowned and looked up at him. "You think I might have twins?"

He shrugged and gave me a smirk. "Ain't li' twins don' ru' en da fam'ly,"

I chuckled and gently rubbed my stomach. "Dr. Grant didn't seem to notice that I had more than one at my last check up," I remarked. "But... then again, it's not like he's able to check in the best way... kinda going the old fashioned route... do you think we could handle two at a time? And where would we put them?"

Connor laughed and lay down next to me, moving his arm around my shoulders. "Me ma managed Murph an' me by 'erself. Tink we ca' do et. An' well… 'm lookin' ta fin' a place wi' mor' roo' fer us."

I cut my eyes at him. "What?"

He shrugged. "Dis can' be th' only place roun' 'ere. Tink I foun' someting nearby."

"You would move away from Murphy? Have you two ever _not _lived together?" I asked, a note of disbelief in my voice.

"Ye tink I can' be 'way from me brudder?" he returned, an eyebrow arched.

"Honestly? No, I don't know if you can," I replied, shifting to find a comfortable position. "You've been with him for over 30 years, why separate now?"

He gave a sigh. "Dere's no way we ca' fi' all o' us en 'ere. No' wi' th' way we're growin'. An' well…" He trailed off.

"Well, what?" I pushed.

"Murph es tinkin' o' proposin' ta Ava," he murmured, his eyes darting around the room.

My own eyes grew into saucers. "Really!?" I squealed.

Connor shushed me, laying his hand over my mouth. "Quiet, lass, 'e doesn' wan' 'er ta know, alrigh'?"

I nodded and pulled his hand from my mouth. "When is he doing it?"

He shrugged. "Don' know, love. Prob'ly soo'." He looked thoughtful as he tucked his other arm under his head, his gaze fixed on the ceiling.

"What are you thinking?" I asked, gently running my fingers over his temple.

"Are ye alrigh' wi' dis?" he asked suddenly, his eyes darting over to me.

I frowned in confusion. "Alright with what exactly?"

"Do ye wan' ta ge' married?"

I snorted. "I hope that's not your way of asking. Just because the subject has been brought up before, I'm still into a little romance now and then."

He chuckled and shook his head. "No, 'm no' askin' ye at th' moment."

I gave him a smile. "Do I want to get married?" I repeated, chewing my lower lip thoughtfully. "I would like to marry you, Conn, but I'm not in any rush or anything. I mean, we're together, I'm yours, you're mine… we have a baby on the way…I don't need more than that." I glanced over at him, my eyes narrowed. "Why? You trying to be taken off the market?"

He gave a snort and turned to face me. "Tink ye too' me off da marke' 'while 'go, lass." He grabbed my hand and gently ran his thumb over the diamond on my ring finger.

We laid side by side, hand in hand in the quiet, both of us thoughtful.

"Ye shoul' go ba' ta slee'," Connor urged, breaking the silence.

I let out a yawn and nodded. "So should you."

He chuckled. "I will ef ye will," he offered.

I smiled and snuggled against his side. "Can I ask you something?"

"An'thing," he murmured, his face burrowed into my hair.

"Is there something actually going down? Is that why Smecker needs you so badly?" I asked quietly.

Connor sighed, his hand tightening on mine. "En dis worl'? Dere's always someting, Kher," he replied quietly. "Th' wicked didn' sto' jus' 'cause we di'."

* * *

"Do you think Murphy's acting weird?"

I glanced up from my bowl of strawberry ice cream and fruity pebbles. "Murphy's always acting weird," I replied, shoving a bite in my mouth.

Ava wrinkled her nose. "How can you eat that shit?"

I rolled my eyes. "You know how I can. All you ate was ketchup flavored potato chips when you were pregnant with little man."

"Yeah, I wanted salt," she retorted. "That's like a bowl full of sugar coma."

I snorted. "Whatever. Now what were you saying about Murphy?" I asked.

Ava sighed and leaned back in her kitchen chair. "I dunno. He's just getting all quiet a lot of the time."

I raised an eyebrow. "Because he's usually such a chatterbox." I swallowed and swirled my spoon in the bowl. "You and I both know I have the chatty twin," I told her, pointing the utensil at her.

She cradled her chin in her hand, resting her elbow on the tabletop. "I guess... but he's never been _this _quiet..." She trailed off and frowned. "Do you think he's hiding something?"

I took another bite of ice cream, crunching the cereal between my teeth. "What would he possibly have to hide?" I asked skeptically.

Ava groaned. "I don't know!" She pouted at me. "Has Connor mentioned anything to you?"

I shrugged. "Not really... we're kind of preoccupied at the moment," I told her, glancing down at my stomach and back to her.

"Touche," she replied with a chuckle.

"'ey, Kher?"

I turned in my chair and glanced back to see Murphy standing in the doorway of the kitchen. "What's up, Murph?" I asked, shoving another bite of ice cream in my mouth.

"Th' fuck es dat?" he asked in disgust.

"Fuck you, MacManus," I snapped. "I don't judge your food choices."

"Wha's wron' wi' wha' I eat?" he returned, his eyes narrowed.

"Cabbage is disgusting. And it smells."

"Et's goo' fer ya," he replied, pulling his hat off his head and shaking off the snow.

"Whatever," I replied with an eye roll. "What do you want?"

"Nee' ta tal' ta Ava fer a secon'... ye min' goin' ou' wi' Conn and Aiden?" he asked, his eyes pleading.

"But... it's cold outside," I whined.

He shrugged out of his peacoat and held it open. "'ere."

I sighed and took one last bite of ice cream before standing up and waddling over to him. I turned and let him slip the coat over my shoulders. I turned back and narrowed my eyes as I buttoned the coat over my belly. "You were smoking," I accused.

"Aye, we 'greed dat Conn an' I wouldn' 'ave a smoke 'round ye, lass. No' dat we woul' sto' all tagether," he pointed out.

I sighed. "Whatever. At least you smell okay."

He snorted. "Man' tanks, lass," he told me sarcastically.

I glanced back at Ava. "Try to keep your clothes on. I think your son is scarred enough after the last time."

Ava threw a balled up napkin at me, hitting me in the forehead. "Bitch," she snapped with a chuckle.

I gave her a grin before ducking out of the house to see Connor and Aiden working on building a snowman. "What are you kids doing?" I called from the porch, my arms crossed over my chest.

Connor looked up and gave me a grin, flakes of snow caught in his hair, his cheeks flushed and his eyes bright. "Wha' does et loo' li' we're doin' 'ere, lass?" he called back.

"Come help, Aunt Kher!" Aiden cried, waving his hands frantically.

I smiled and carefully made my way off the porch, my hands stuffed in Murphy's coat pockets. "Does the snowman have a name?" I asked, stepping up next to Connor.

"Aye," he told me with a nod, kissing me lightly on the temple before looking down at Aiden as he packed snow onto the bottom. "Wha' di' ye decide ta name 'im, lad?"

"Noah," Aiden told me with a grin. "After Granda."

I smiled and felt a lump form in my throat. I cleared it and ruffled the boys hair. "That's sweet, bubba. I think your Granda would love that."

Connor slid his arm around my shoulders and hugged me to his side as Aiden dropped to the ground to make a snow angel. "Ye alrigh'?" he murmured into my ear.

"Yeah, I'm good," I replied, resting my head on his shoulder.

"'ow's th' babe?" He gently ran his other hand over my stomach.

"Goo-"

"OMIGOD KHERINGTON!"

Connor and I both winced at the shriek and turned to see Ava on the porch, Murphy grinning behind her. "You bellowed?" I called across the lawn.

"MURPHY AND I ARE GETTING MARRIED!" she yelled, a grin splitting her face.

Aiden jumped up from the snow and ran over to his parents, Connor and I following behind. "You're getting married?" he asked, jumping onto the porch.

"Aye, lad," Murphy told him with a nod, lifting his son. "Will ye be me bes' ma'?"

"Oi!" Connor hollered. "Dat's 'posed ta be me job!"

Murphy smirked. "Me son es a bett' ma' den ye, brudder."

Connor grabbed some snow off the ground and tossed it at his darker half. "I see 'ow ye are."

Ava's eyes shimmered and she held out her hand, a diamond solitaire sparkling on her finger. "Isn't it gorgeous?" she breathed.

I grinned. "Murph has surprisingly good taste," I teased, giving him a wink over Ava's shoulder.

"Bett' taste den ye," he replied, sticking his tongue out at me.

"So, Kher, will you be my maid of honor?" she asked hopefully.

I gave her a look. "Duh. Not like you have many other options and I'd kill you if you did ask someone else."

"So, when's th' bi' day?" Connor asked, throwing his arm around his brother's neck.

"Two weeks," Ava replied with a grin.

Connor and I both choked. "_Two weeks?"_ I gasped in disbelief.

"Why so soo'?" Connor asked, glancing between Ava and Murphy, his eyes wide.

Murphy shrugged. "We are jus' goin' ta ge' Uncle Sibeal ta say a few words a' th' church. An' et will jus' be th' fi' o' us."

"And," Ava continued. "We want to do it before Kher pops."

* * *

**AN2:**

Anonnie: Surprise! I lied! You get another bonus chapter! But seriously, 31 is it. I really tried to shove everything into 30 and it just didn't work. I could possibly even end it here, but I don't think it would be right. I think part of me is sad to end this and not ready, ha. I'm glad you liked the last chapter though. And it's been a pleasure sharing this with you and having you along for the ride. Your reviews have been so wonderful and I look forward to them with each and every chapter. I am ready to embark on something new though. I hope you stay patient with me. Lots of love and huggies back to you! Til next time... :)

Lucy: Yay! I'm glad you liked it so well. And yeah, I guess that chapter was quite fluffy, haha. I'm glad you were able to like everyone (for now). Awe, you cried? Aweeee. Love! Sorry I didn't make Connor trip, it would've been fitting, yes? Yeah, I think once this story is done (eventually, ha... this journey seems to be hanging on!), I'm going to take a break. But a Walking Dead story is definitely bouncing around in my brain. So, we shall see. Thank you for the review and the love! I hope you're hanging in there my friend!

Alessandra: Believe me! I understand! I'm not meaning to take as long to post as I am! Life really gets in the way sometime! I know, Smecker needs to back off, right? Haha. And messing with a pregnant woman? Tsk, tsk! But ConKher worked it out, like they always do. And we shall see if it will be twins, haha. I saw you made an account! Thank you for adding me to your faves/alerts! It was so nice to see! Til next time! :) Love ya dear!


	31. Lucky

******Author's Note: **Hey kids. I'm alive...? I know. I won't make excuses. This chapter... bah. It was killinggggg meeeee. I really wanted to give you guys the best I possibly could and probably put way too much pressure on myself in the process. This is it. This is the end. I've really tried to let it simmer, see what I think of it, make sure it's up to snuff. Honestly, this story doesn't really want to end. But, I think this is the best I can do. So anyway. Thank you to each and every one of you that have favorited/alerted/reviewed/read this story. It was simply a past-time and became a hell of a lot more. Biggest thank yous of all to... ******coffee-ink-fire, SilverMoonlit, Rhanon Brodie, Valerie E. Mackin, Aisling Isobel, PiercedHeart114, "Anonnie", "Lucy"****.**.. you guys have been everything to me and I thank you. And specifically for this chapter, I want to thank **Valerie E. Mackin, "Lucy" and AislingIsobel**. You each listened to me whine incessantly and bounced ideas with me and just helped me. This chapter would have never happened without you guys. So seriously. Thank you SO MUCH.

******Disclaimer: **I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/All Saints Day/Connor/Murphy or any other character that appears in the film. That belongs to Troy Duffy who I am so jealous of his brilliance. You may recognize different pieces of this story from the second movie, but I did try to put my own little twist on it if you will. Any song titles or lyrics do not belong to me. Ashes & Wine is A Fine Frenzy. Lucky is Bif Naked. Also, this little work is unbeta'd. All mistakes belong to good ol' me.

******Disclaimer2: **I know less than nothing about babies and pregnancy. I don't know much more about weddings. So... this is what you get. Ha.

**Chapter 31 (Lucky):**

"_It's time, to say, thank God for you... I thank God for you... in each and every single way... and I know... I know... I know... I know... it's time to let you know, time to let you know, time to let you know, time to sit here and say... I know we are, we are the lucky ones..."_

I straightened the veil over Ava's head and smiled. "Perfect," I told her, taking a step back and resting my hand on my stomach, gently rubbing circles with my thumb. My stomach had been tightening with cramps all morning, but I figured it was nerves for the impending ceremony.

She turned to look in the mirror, smoothing her hands over the simple white sheath. "I can't believe I'm getting married," she murmured for what seemed like the thousandth time.

I grinned at her. "Pretty crazy," I agreed. "But pretty awesome."

"Do you think I'm doing the right thing?" she asked.

I cocked my head to the side, regarding her carefully, my smile fading. "You having doubts?" I asked, a note of concern in my voice.

She sighed and looked back at the mirror, clasping her fingers in front of her mouth. "I don't know," she whispered. "It's scary… and it's so quick."

I gave her an encouraging smile. "That was your choice. You didn't have to get married out the gate."

She chewed her lower lip and looked down at her feet, her mascaraed lashes lowered. "Yeah…"

"And," I continued. "Technically, this is probably a long time coming. If it weren't for the not so brief hiatus, you may have been married years ago," I pointed out. "I mean, you love Murph, right?"

Her eyes darted to me and she scowled. "Of course I do."

I shrugged. "So, if things were normal... this probably would have already happened," I told her, grabbing my bouquet off the table and straightening the flowers, occupying my hands.

She gave me a side eye, a smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth. "When did you get to be so wise?"

I shrugged. "Impending motherhood, perhaps?" I replied, gently setting the bouquet back down.

Ava snorted and smoothed her hands over her dress. "Okay… I think I'm ready."

I grinned. "Good. You look beautiful by the way," I told her as I helped her move the veil to cover her face.

"You don't look half bad yourself," she returned.

"Not too blimpy?" I asked, glancing at myself in the mirror and wrinkling my nose, turning from side to side.

She scoffed and waved her hand. "Shut up, you are all belly. And pregnancy suits you." She gave me a look. "And you've had the easiest pregnancy ever."

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "Whatever. Enough about me. Today is all about you, my friend." I grinned at her. "Let's get you married!"

We both turned to a knock at the door and I walked over, peeking out. I grinned as I had to look down to see Aiden fidgeting on the other side. "What's up little man?"

He wrung his hands together, looking up at me, his eyes wide. "Da and Uncle Conn want to know what's taking so long..."

I smirked. "Not everyone wakes up pretty like those two," I told him.

"Can I see mama?" he asked hopefully.

I nodded. "Of course, little dude. You are the one walking her down the aisle, aren't ya?" I opened the door a little wider and motioned for him to enter the room, quickly shutting it behind him in case a MacManus was lurking around the corners attempting to get a peek.

"Mama! You look like a princess!" Aiden exclaimed, shuffling over to her.

Ava grinned and bent down to press a kiss to his cheek. "Thank you baby," she said, chuckling as he wiped at the lipstick smudge she left behind.

"Where are your dad and uncle anyway?" I asked, resting my hands over my stomach, linking my fingers.

"They're at the front of the church with great-uncle Sibeal," he replied.

I nodded. "Good." I looked up at Ava. "We ready?"

She took a deep breath and one last glance in the mirror before turning back and giving me a nod. "We're ready," she replied, grasping Aiden's hand tightly.

* * *

I slowly made my way down the aisle, the soft music playing in the background, bouquet of wildflowers gripped in my hands. "Just don't trip," I thought to myself, focusing on the carpet in front of me, my stomach still clenching. I took a deep breath and forced myself to look up. I smirked when I saw Murphy, his expression anxious and his hands wringing together. He was clearly fidgeting, bouncing on the balls of his feet and I wasn't sure he even saw me walking towards them. When my eyes moved to Connor, my breath lodged in my throat and my heart skipped a beat. His blue eyes were filled with an intensity I had never seen before, his gaze never wavering. His light brown hair was perfectly tousled and he was dressed in a simple black suit, forever matching his brother. I swallowed thickly and lowered my gaze, biting my lower lip. I briefly paused as my stomach clenched, the feeling stronger than before, but managing to fade. I took a deep breath and continued moving. I lifted my eyes again, catching Connor's gaze. His brow furrowed and I shook my head, silently telling him not to worry. He frowned but gave a small nod, his eyes moving to my stomach before he returned his focus to my face.

I finally made it to the altar and took my spot to Sibeal's right, giving him a smile that he returned. There was a key change and suddenly Pachelbel's Canon began to play. I noticed Murphy stiffen at the familiar tune and we all gazed down the aisle as Ava made her way towards us, Aiden's hand gripped tightly in hers. I felt tears sting at my eyes as I watched my best friend make her way down towards one of the men that had changed our entire lives, his eyes fixed on her in an expression of wonder and awe. I felt Connor's gaze on me again and I flashed my eyes to his. He cocked his head to the side, regarding me carefully.

"You okay?" he mouthed.

I nodded. "Just happy," I mouthed back.

He gave me a grin, his eyes sparkling and crinkling at the sides. "I love you."

I quickly wiped a tear from my eye with my thumb. "I love you too."

Ava and Aiden reached the altar and Murphy stepped down, offering Ava his elbow which she gladly took. Aiden stepped to the side and Connor quickly lifted him up in his arms, sharing the position of Murphy's best man.

"We are gathered 'ere taday en da sigh' o' Go'…"

I tried to listen to Sibeal's wedding spiel and pay attention but was distracted by a sharp pain in my lower abdomen, the cramps seeming to suddenly intensify. I quietly sucked in a breath. "Must be a false alarm," I thought to myself as it started to fade. I glanced up to see Connor's eyes fixed on me, his expression full of concern. I forced a smile and shook my head, nodding towards Murphy and Ava. He frowned and shook his head lightly. I hissed as I felt another contraction roll through me. "No, no, no, I still have three weeks," I thought to myself, my teeth cutting into my bottom lip. I squeezed my eyes shut, my free hand fisting in my dress.

"Ow," I grunted, my knees buckling and I felt myself falling to the ground.

"I go' ye," Connor whispered in my ear, his arms at my waist as I fell against him, both of us moving to the floor. I hadn't even seen him move.

Murphy, Ava and Sibeal stared down at me, concern etched over each of their faces.

"Aunt Kher?" Aiden breathed, his face level with my own.

I grit my teeth at the pressure bearing down on my stomach, the base of my spine seeming to stiffen. "I'm fine," I bit out, trying to breathe and relieve some pressure.

Ava shook her head and kneeled next to me. "Kher, I don't think you are."

My eyes widened as I felt a pop and liquid between my legs, my eyes filling with tears. "No, no, no," I muttered, my hand moving to Connor's arm and gripping it tight. "It's happening too fast…"

"Wha' es et, lass?" Connor asked, a note of fear in his voice.

"I think my water just broke," I whispered.

* * *

The pain was like nothing I'd ever felt before. I couldn't even describe it. "Connor," I groaned, my hand tightening on his to the point I felt the bones move beneath his skin.

"Fuck, Kher, ye go' a grip o' ye," he muttered, his other hand reaching to brush the hair from my forehead.

I let out a breath as the pain faded, my head sinking into the pillow. I glanced up as Dr. Grant made his way into the room, dressed in pale sea green scrubs. "How we doin' in here?" he asked, giving me a smile.

"I think we're a little early," I replied as Connor gently wiped the sweat from my brow.

"Th' babe ain't 'posed ta be 'ere fer anudder tree weeks, righ'?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Dr. Grant nodded. "We do seem to be a little ahead of schedule. How far apart are your contractions, Kherington?"

I swallowed. "About 7 minutes apart, I think."

"And how painful are they?"

"'nough ta make 'er break me 'and," Connor offered.

I shot him a glare. "You will never understand what this is like," I hissed at him.

He shrunk away from me, holding up his free hand. "Yer kin' o' scarin' me, lass," he muttered, looking down at the floor.

I turned my attention to Dr. Grant. "Please tell me this is almost over."

He gave me a reassuring smile. "That's up to your baby. But I will tell you that if you keep up at this rate, you'll have a baby within a few hours."

I forced a smile, tightening my grip on Connor's hand as my vision became blurry. "Connor...?" I murmured.

I heard the brogue of his response, but couldn't make out the words, my vision becoming distorted as suddenly, I lost consciousness.

* * *

"Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey."

I jolted awake, my head flying up from my arms. "Ow," I whimpered as I hit the corner of a low hanging light. I glanced around, realizing that instead of the small florescent lit room with Dr. Grant and Connor, I was seated at a bar, the air smoky and the lighting dim. "The fuck?" I muttered. I swallowed and bit my lower lip, my hand drifting to lay on my stomach. It suddenly occurred to me that I wasn't feeling the pain I had before. I glanced down and sucked in a panicked breath when I saw that my stomach was completely flat.

"Don't worry. The little fuckers are where they're supposed to be."

I looked up at the bartender to ask what he was talking about and my eyes widened as my jaw went slack in recognition. "Rocco?" I breathed.

He gave me his classic goofy grin, his eyes covered by dark lenses. "How the fuck ya doin' chick?"

I looked around. "Am I...?"

He gave a nod. "Yeah, you're dreamin'. I wouldn't look this fuckin' good otherwise, would I?" He glanced back at a mirrored wall behind him. "Best fuckin' thing about dyin'? Ya don't fuckin' age!" He turned back to me and leaned over the bartop.

I swallowed. "I'm not dead, am I?"

He snorted. "No, ya ain't dead. Just a little out of commission at the moment. Thought I could take the time and talk to ya since the boys don't seem to want to listen to the good ol' funny man."

I bit my lower lip and tilted my head to the side. "What are you talking about?"

Rocco sighed and grabbed a bottle of whiskey from under the bar along with two shot glasses. He filled each and slid one towards me before lifting the other. "Sláinte," he offered, clinking against the other glass and throwing the shot back, setting the glass back on the bartop before looking at me expectantly.

"What?" I asked.

"Take the fuckin' shot and then we can talk," he pressed.

I rolled my eyes but took the shot, wincing slightly at the burn. I set down the glass and wiped my mouth on the back of my hand. "Now talk," I rasped.

Rocco grinned and moved from behind the bar. "Let's take a fuckin' walk," he told me, offering his elbow.

I slid off the stool and let him lead me out of the bar into the sunshine. "Are we in Boston?" I asked, looking up at the Italian.

"Fuckin' right we are," he answered, waving his free arm in the air. "It's fuckin' paradise. All the great things about Boston, none of the fuckin' bad."

I snorted. "This is your heaven?"

"Fuckin' A right it is." He wiped his nose on his sleeve and glanced down at me. "But enough about that shit. We ain't havin' much time before I gotta let your tiny ass wake up."

I furrowed my brow. "Okay, so talk."

Rocco sat down on a bench and pulled me down next to him, his arm along the back. "How long you expecting those two Micks to stay out of the crosshairs, hmmm?"

I cut my eyes at him. "What are you talking about?"

He smirked, shaking his hair out of his face. "I'm talking about Connor and Murphy and the… I guess you would call it… 'family business'," he replied, complete with air quotes.

I swallowed. "They wanted to stop…"

Rocco shook his head. "Look, I ain't sayin' they're not tired. Fuck, they've been doin' this shit for awhile now, they should be. And maybe part of them does think they're done with it. But they're not. They're gonna get restless soon. Hell, they already are, think you know that. Connor and Murphy ain't the stay-at-home daddy type any more than their old man was."

I bit my lower lip and furrowed my brow. "So… what are you telling me?"

"Think you know what I'm telling you," he replied.

I sighed and leaned my head back on his arm, staring up at the blue sky. "What do you expect me to do? And why does everyone think I can convince Connor of anything?"

Rocco chuckled and ruffled my hair. "Because you fuckin' can. You tell that kid the sky is purple and made of fuckin' marshmallows? He'd eventually believe ya."

I scowled and leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, my hands clasped in front of me. "And why would I want to convince him to go back?"

I shifted my eyes to meet Rocco's as he moved into my peripheral. "'Cause ya know he's got to."

I snorted and shook my head. "Roc, I don't want him to die at some piece of trash's hand. He's safe. He's better than that."

Rocco nudged me lightly. "If he was gonna die, he fuckin' would've that first time out at Copley Plaza. Ain't nothin' gonna happen that isn't supposed to, I fuckin' promise you that."

I cut my eyes at him. "How can you promise me that?."

He smirked and lifted his hand, lowering his glasses down his nose to meet my gaze. "I'm fuckin' dead sweetheart, I have a bit more information then you might think." He pushed the glasses back up his nose. "I'm gonna put it to you this way, girlie. You can either get 'em to go back now or watch when they're pulled back into it anyway and they ain't prepared. I'm just givin' you a fuckin' heads up."

I regarded Rocco in silence, chewing my lower lip absently. "So... there's really no choice in this?"

He shrugged and pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lighting it and taking a drag. "Not really. Can't stop a callin', can ya?" he asked after he exhaled the smoke. He glanced up at the sky. "Think I'm about outta fuckin' time with you, Kher," he muttered. He pushed himself to his feet and turned toward me, the cigarette hanging out of the side of his mouth. "Just think about it, alright?"

I swallowed and nodded slowly. "I'll give it some thought," I replied, my voice soft as I stood in front of him. I looked up at him and forced a smile. "We miss you, Roc," I told him.

He gave me a grin and pulled me into a hug, lifting me off the ground. "Don't worry. I'm never that fuckin' far." He pressed a kiss to my temple before settling me back on my feet and taking a step back. "Catch ya on the flip side, Kher... but I hope it ain't for awhile," he told me before turning and making his way down the sidewalk.

I sighed and looked down at my feet, squeezing my eyes shut.

* * *

"Kher?"

"C'mon, Kher, wake up..."

"Aunt Kher?"

"'mon, lass, open yer eyes fer me."

I let out a groan. "Will you all just shut up?" I rasped, slowly opening my eyes, wincing as the bright light cut into them.

"Tank Go'," Connor breathed, leaning down and pressing a kiss to my forehead.

I looked around and saw Murphy, Ava and Aiden surrounding the bed as well, Murphy and Ava still in their wedding clothes, each holding a bundle in their arms. "Where's my baby?" I whispered.

Murphy grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Which one?"

I looked up at Connor. "What did I miss?"

His eyes looked tired. "Ye passed ou' o' me, lass," he replied. "The Doc sai' ye were goin' ta be alrigh', bu' wi' ye ou' like ye were..." He ran a hand through his hair. "'ad ta cut ye open, ge' dem ou'."

"Them?" I asked, my eyes wide.

He grinned. "Aye." He looked up at Murphy. "Le' me lass see 'im."

Murphy moved closer to the side as I carefully sat up. He gently pressed the sleeping bundle into my arms. I looked down and felt my heart seem to swell at the tiny baby. He opened his mouth in a yawn and his eyes slowly opened. "Omigod..." I murmured.

"Lord's name," Connor told me gently, sitting on the bed next to me, a bundle in his arms as well. "Ye gave me two wee lads, lass."

I looked at the other baby, a lump growing in my throat. I moved my eyes to meet Connor's and pressed a kiss to his mouth. "We did good, MacManus," I told him quietly, my voice thick.

"Aye, we did," he whispered back as we both turned our attention back to the babies.

"Did you name them?" I asked, gently tracing my fingers over the baby's features.

"No' ye', he replied. "Know we came up wi' one, bu' wa' waitin' fer ye when I saw we 'ad two."

I bit my lower lip and looked up, noticing that Murphy, Ava and Aiden had quietly left the room. I took a deep breath and looked at Connor. "Declan Noah and Kieran David MacManus."

Connor raised an eyebrow. "I ge' th' Noah, lass... bu' why David?"

I shrugged. "We've had some special Davids in our time, haven't we?"

His gaze softened. "Roc an' Greenbeans?"

I smiled. "May they rest in peace."

Connor met my grin and moved his gaze back to the baby in his arms. "Well, den. Welcome ta th' world, Kieran," he murmured, gently rocking the bundle.

I looked down at the baby in my own grasp. "Guess that makes you Declan," I whispered, pressing a kiss to his head. A thought suddenly crossed my mind and I looked up at Connor. "Which one came first?"

He grinned at me. "Only me an' da goo' doc know dat fer sure," he replied. "An' dats th' way et's stayin'."

* * *

***3 Months Later***

I pulled open the door and gave Ava a tired smile. "Thanks for coming by," I told her, shifting Kieran on my hip. I stepped to the side and let her and Aiden pass, shutting the door behind them.

"No problem," she replied. "Where's Dec?"

I shook my head. "I just managed to put him down and for once he's sleeping." I shifted my gaze to Kieran. "And now this one doesn't want to sleep, which is rare." Kieran let out a coo, grabbing my hair in his fist and pulling. "Ow," I grunted, moving to gently pry his fingers off. "That hurts baby."

"Can I hold Kieran?" Aiden asked hopefully, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

I smiled. "You know the rules bubba."

He leapt onto the couch and held out his arms. I shook my head and walked over, gently laying the baby in Aiden's arms. "Remember, be gentle. And let me know if he starts squirming."

Aiden didn't seem to even hear me as he started muttering at Kieran, making him laugh his baby giggles. I smiled and crossed back to Ava. "You sure you're okay staying here?" I asked, my eyes on the two on the couch.

Ava shrugged. "It's fine. Plus it's your turn to drag them back home."

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, working out the tangles. "Did Murphy call you?"

She rolled her eyes and leaned against the recliner, crossing her arms over her chest. "Just to say that he would be late." She shook her head. "I think part of it is that they can't stand to be apart for too long."

I grabbed my coat off a hook by the door. "It was Connor's brilliant idea to move us in here. I think he's regretting it, but he won't admit it."

Ava sighed and glanced over at Aiden and Kieran. "We need to find a house that will hold all of us." She glanced down at her stomach. "Maybe with a few rooms to spare."

I slipped my coat over my shoulders and raised an eyebrow. "We are like a really effed version of the Brady Bunch these days."

She chuckled. "You ain't lying." She patted her stomach. "I can only hope this is a girl. I'm tired of being outnumbered."

I opened my mouth to reply but was cut off by Declan's shrill cry filling the air. I let out a groan. "Dammit," I moaned.

Ava shook her head. "Head into town. I'll take care of Dec. He and Kieran probably just miss their dad. Totally screwing up their schedules."

I sighed and nodded, glancing down the hall as Ava made her way towards the twins' room. I shifted my gaze to Aiden. "You gonna take care of my boys, little man?"

He nodded. "I got this, Aunt Kher," he told me sagely.

I chuckled and walked over kissing the top of his head. "I know you do." I shifted my gaze to Kieran and gently ran my finger down his cheek. "You behave," I told him softly. He turned his face to me and gave me a gummy smile, his blue eyes sparkling at me as he giggled. I smiled back and stood up, zipping the coat and turning to see Ava holding Declan to her shoulder, bouncing him gently. "And how's my other boy?" I asked, crossing the room and taking him from her arms to say good-bye.

"I think someone just felt left out," Ava murmured.

I smiled and kissed the top of Declan's head. "You be good, Dec," I murmured, cuddling him close to my chest. I sighed and breathed in his baby powder smell before gently giving him back to Ava. "I told Aiden he's the man of the house while I'm gone," I informed her with a grin.

She chuckled and glanced at the couch. "Hopefully he can keep us all in line," she replied, letting Declan gnaw on her finger.

I sighed. "Alright, I'm off. Hopefully they'll be ready to go," I told her, moving towards the door.

"Yeah, good luck with that," she replied.

I chuckled and ducked out the door into the night.

* * *

I stuck my head in the conference room to see Connor and Murphy's backs where they were leaned over a table.

"Tink ef 'e goes dis way, 'e shoul' be alrigh'," Murphy muttered, pointing.

Connor shook his head. "Too narrow. 'e'll ne'er ma' et fas' 'nough."

They continued mumbling back and forth. I leaned in the doorway, my arms crossed over my chest. "Ahem," I finally interrupted.

They both glanced over their shoulders and Connor gave me a grin. "An' wha' are ye doin' 'ere, love?"

I chuckled and walked over, shoving my way in between them. "Time for you two to come home. Or at least take a break." I glanced at the blueprints on the table. "What's going on this time?"

Murphy sighed. "Romeo's goin' o' 'is own tamarra," he replied as Connor started rolling up the papers.

I looked over at Murphy. "You don't sound thrilled... where is it?"

"New York," he replied, leaning his hip against the table.

"So, what's the problem?" I asked, a smile pulling at my mouth as Connor brushed his lips over my collarbone before walking to the other side of the room.

Murphy shrugged. "Not'ing."

"Murph's a bi' jealous," Connor cut in.

Murphy scowled at his twin. "I jus' don' tink 'e shoul' go 'lone, dat's all?"

I smirked. "You worried about your Mexican?" I asked as Connor draped his arm over my shoulders.

His scowl deepened. "I go' ta ta' 'buse from ye no' too?"

I pouted at him. "Awe, Murph, you know I love you."

He rolled his eyes and moved to leave the room. "'m goin' ta go tal' ta Smecker befer we go," he muttered, ducking out of the conference room, leaving Connor and I alone.

I turned in his arm and draped my arms over his shoulders. "And how are you?"

He smirked and kissed me lightly on the nose. "Bett' no'. Didn' 'spect ta see ye dow' 'ere."

I shrugged. "Someone had to come get you."

"Th' lads alrigh'?" he asked, moving his hands to my hips, his fingers splayed on my back under my shirt.

I nodded, running my fingers through the hair on the back of his head. "They just miss their da," I replied. "I kinda miss him too, actually."

"Es dat righ'?" he asked, blocking me in against the table and pressing his lips to mine. I groaned quietly as his tongue swept over my lips and opened my mouth to him. He pulled back, resting his forehead against my own and slowly opened his eyes. "I missed ye as well," he whispered.

I gave him a smile. "Well, you'll just have to show me how much you missed me when we get home, won't you?"

He chuckled and pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Aye, I tink I ca' do dat."

"Did you get your planning done?" I asked, pushing myself onto the table and pulling him between my thighs.

He nodded. "Aye, Rome shoul' be se'."

I snagged my fingers through his beltloops. "Why is Paul sending him alone?"

Connor rested his palms on the table, boxing me in. "No' sure. Says et's a simple in an' ou'."

I cocked my head to the side. "And what do you think?"

The side of his mouth lifted in a half-smile. "I tink yer goin' ta tell me wha' I tink."

I rolled my eyes. "I think you agree with Murphy."

He sighed. "Aye."

I gently moved my hands up his chest to rest on his shoulders. "Do you agree because you're worried or because you want to go?"

His eyes met mine. "Bi' o' both," he murmured.

I nodded slowly. "Can't say I'm surprised," I replied. "Old habits die hard." I moved a hand to his cheek and smiled. "Just 9 more months, okay?"

He nodded slowly, his eyes focused on the necklace he had given me years ago. "I don' 'ave ta go 'f ye don' wan' me ta," he murmured meeting my eyes.

I shrugged. "Conn, you and I both knew that you weren't going to be out of this forever, even if we couldn't admit it."

"Aye... still can' belie' yer tryin' ta be alrigh' wi' et," he admitted, his hands moving to my hips.

"I want you to be happy, Conn. And it's not that different than if you were in the military or law enforcement... right?" I asked.

He snorted and shook his head. "Ef dat's 'ow ye wan' ta loo' a' et."

"There's no reason you can't have both," I murmured, pulling him closer, brushing my nose over his. "You'll make the world better and then you'll come home to me and the twins. Win-win. I just want to have you to myself just a little longer. I only want to share you with the babies. And then, when the time comes, you and Murphy can be the Saints again. But you'll always have a place to come home to." I kissed him softly, my nails gently scratching over the back of his neck.

He pulled back, his hands moving to cup cheeks. "Ye ne'er di' tell me wha' changed yer mind..."

I smiled and shrugged. "Sure I did," I replied, Rocco's face flashing through my mind. "A little divine intervention. You should understand that."

He chuckled and opened his mouth to reply.

"Why don' ye try an' kee' et clea'?"

I chuckled and glanced at Murphy over Connor's shoulder. "Now, Murph, what's the fun in that? Tell me..."

He grinned. "Why don' ye sto' fuckin' 'roun' so we ca' ge' 'ome already?"

Connor snorted and looked at me. "Read' ta go 'ome lass?"

I grabbed his hand and laced our fingers together. "Let's go home."

* * *

**AN2:**

Anonnie: Haha, well I'm glad I threw in a bit of a surprise for you. I hope the names work for you and you weren't disappointed. Hope that streak continues. :) You've been one of my faithful followers and I can't do that to ya (disappoint, I mean). And Conn does have some time to make up for, doesn't he? Let's see how it goes shall we...?

Lucy: Hope this works for you my friend!

**AN3: **So... there it is. There you have it. I can't believe it's over. There's a possibility that a third could happen at some point in life. I'm not going to promise anything. I have other things in the works and I want to try new things. Plus, I don't want to leave you all hanging (like I did with these last few chapters. But maybe, in the future, ConKher, Murva, Aiden, Declan/Kieran and others will be back. Who knows...? :)

Thank you to each and everyone of you that took the time to read this story. It means the world to me. Super special thanks to... **iforgive****you, Conspicuously Shrouded, "Lucy", RhanonBrodie, TWD, BlueMoonSaint, Valerie E. Mackin, "Alessandra", "Beth"/Panicking at a Disco, "Anonnie", SilverMoonlit, gurl3677, "Megan"/blondiegirl17, SaraLostInes, coffee-ink-fire, XakibaphoxX, AislingIsobel, PiercedHeart114, MyWritingMuse, OhKellyRose, AnghelNiKamatayan, Asia Redgrave, Baloo18, DTS Guru, Effigy, Entwinedlove, Fierce Lady, gypsyk179, GrasshopperKnight****, ********happygirltn, JadedPanda, JamesRamsey, jedurso, JumbledThoughts, laura f hellman, maawwge, meb1313, musicndcrime, Nantena, ShiveringTree, snaregirl007, 11Rina11, LittleFlatts, BlackBulletButterfly, HerAngrierGnome, kaayrakoi, LlockedOut, magsi09, MyMy2014, stargirl276, SunnySideUp25, PixiePhotos **and a sprinkling of Guest reviewers. Each of you let me know you were actually reading whether it be through reviews, alerts, or favorites. That is just overwhelming to me and I cannot express how grateful I am to each and every one of you. It's what kept me going and I can only hope some of you stick with me if/when I move onto other things. I especially thank the people that reviewed. For the most part, you reviewed repeatedly which is fabulous and actually let me get to know you and talk/bond. It's nice to know the people behind the stories (since quite a few of you are authors as well). Not only that... this is currently the 3rd most reviewed Boondock story... that is unbelievable to me and there's a chance it will move to number 2... holy shit. I just... I can't tell you what that means to me. Words aren't enough.

I also want to thank the following for putting me on their author alert list or author favorite list (or both): ******AislingIsobel, Alessandra love22, Alexandria04, Are You Afraid Yet, Baloo18, BlueMoonSaint, coffee-ink-fire, ConspicuouslyShrouded, Entwinedlove, Hopeful-Lost-Boy's-Girl, iforgiveyou, kaayrakoi, LSWasp, LadyAlarah, meb1313, ModernDayJuneCleaver, OhhKellyRose, PiercedHeart114, Pixie photos, SilverMoonlit, TheBaconMaker, Valerie E Mackin, XakibaphoxX**. I hope I managed to get everyone that I could. If I forgot you, I appreciate you just as much and it was an honest mistake.

Like I said, I do have a few ideas up my sleeve. I'm not sure when I'll put them out into the open because as of now if anything is written for them, it's not finished/just ideas. Most stuff is Boondock related, but I'm really thinking my next attempt will be in the Walking Dead arena. I mean, it is coming back, ha. We shall see though. Until next time my friends...

-DeDe


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